Army JCO killed in J&K gunfight

A soldier who had been told not to use the mobile phone while on duty fired several shots at the officer. Photo: AFP

Srinagar: A junior commissioned officer (JCO) of the Indian Army was killed on Monday in a gunfight with the militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Badgam district. Following information about the presence of militants in Drung village, the security forces commenced a search operation shortly after Sunday midnight, police sources said. "As the cordon was being tightened, the hidden militants fired at the security forces injuring Subedar Raj Kumar who later succumbed to his injuries," the police sources said. Defence Ministry sources, however, said a patrol party of the Army was fired upon by the militants and the JCO died in the exchange of firing between the militants and the security forces.