Police and rebels battle for 22 hours

Srinagar: The police claimed to have gunned down a militant in a 22-hour long Kashmir shootout during which a special police officer (SPO) was killed and 13 security men, including a paramilitary officer, were wounded on Wednesday.

Security forces killed one of the hiding militants yesterday afternoon in Warpora locality of Sopore town, in north Kashmir, 54 kilometres from here, said a police officer.

A joint team of 22 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Special Operations Group (SOG) of the police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Tuesday evening surrounded a suspected militant hideout in the area. An unofficial report said four guerrillas of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit were holed up inside the house.

"As the joint raiding party tried to enter the house, the troopers came under heavy automatic gunfire from the militants who also hurled grenades," the police officer said.