Soldier killed, three injured in Kashmir gunfight

Srinagar, May 19 (IANS) A soldier was killed and three others injured in a gunfight between security forces and separatist guerrillas in Jammu and Kashmir's Badgam district Monday, police said.

Police said the gunfight started in Kaisermula (Chadura) village of Badgam between security forces and a group of guerrillas holed up inside a house Monday afternoon.

"When the security forces closed in on the house where the militants were hiding, a gunfight started after militants fired at the surrounding security men indiscriminately with their automatic weapons.

"The security forces came under heavy volume of automatic gunfire resulting in injuries to four army jawans, one of whom later succumbed to injuries," a senior police officer said here.

"When the injured security men were being evacuated, the hiding militants managed to escape, he added.

Army sources said searches are still on in the area to trace the group of guerrillas.