Srinagar, July 7: An unidentified militant and a soldier were killed while two army men and a policeman were injured in a gunfight with at Goosu area of Pulwama district.

While a militant was killed, sources said that three army soldiers and a policeman were injured in the gunfight early today. The injured were removed to army hospital where one of them succumbed to critical wounds. “The soldier died in the afternoon,” a senior police officer said.

Meanwhile, the police officer said that searches were called off late in the afternoon.

Asked whether the militants suspected to have been holed up in the area have escaped, he said: “nothing can be said with certainty.”

The gunfight had ensued after a joint team of Police, Army’s 53RR and CRPF launched a cordon-and-search-operation in Goosu amid inputs about the presence of the militants, officials said.

As the joint team encircled the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them. The fire was retaliated by the joint team, triggering off an encounter, they said. In the initial firing, two army soldiers and cop were injured and were shifted to hospital. Later one more soldier was injured while one militant was also killed subsequently in the firefight, they added. (GNS)