Security forces on Sunday killed three suspected militants in a gunfight in Pantha Chowk area of Srinagar district in Jammu and Kashmir, the Kashmir Zone Police said. A policeman, identified as Babu Ram, was also killed in the gunfight.

The police said the gunfight broke out after suspected militants fired upon a joint check-post of the police and the Central Reserve Police Force on Saturday night. Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the area, which became an encounter when the militants fired on the police party, they added.

“During initial shootout we lost an assistant sub-inspector of special operations group of police,” Kashmir Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar told NDTV. “In the encounter that followed, which ended this morning [Sunday], three terrorists were killed.”

An unidentified senior officer told the channel that the suspected militants had attacked the check-post with the intention of snatching weapons from the police personnel stationed at Pantha Chowk. “The security personnel retaliated and when the terrorists tried to escape, they were chased and cornered in an adjacent neighbourhood,” he added.

On Saturday, three suspected militants and one soldier were killed in a gunfight in Zadoora area of Pulwama district. The police had said that incriminating materials such as arms and ammunition were found on the suspected militants.

On Friday, four suspected militants had been killed in Shopian following a gunfight. A fifth suspected militant surrendered to the security forces.

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