Security forces on Saturday killed up to three infiltrating militants near the Line of Control in north Kashmir but the flush-out operation at Anantnag in south Kashmir continued past 90 hours with no report of terrorist casualties.

For the fourth day running, the army relentlessly pounded a hill across Gadole village where a group of militants is believed to sheltering after killing three officers on Wednesday.

The security establishment was prompt in sharing details of the successful operation in Uri, Baramulla, where the army claimed to have killed at least two, and probably three, militants.

But the authorities were not just tight-lipped on the Anantnag operation but bristled at suggestions of having suffered a setback despite the use of the latest weapons and sophisticated technology to monitor the militants' movements.

“Rtd (retired) Police/Army officers should avoid `Ambush Hypothesis’,” Kashmir police chief Vijay Kumar wrote on X on Friday night.

Kumar claimed it was a “specific input-based ops” and vowed to eliminate the “2-3 trapped terrorists”.

Experts including former Jammu and Kashmir police chief S.P. Vaid had earlier suggested that a militant ambush may have killed the officers.

“Based on my 35 years’ experience, such a situation can arise under two to three possibilities. One, your source (informer) is comprised and is linked to terrorists. Terrorists are trying to draw you (towards them) and are waiting to do something big,” he said in a video message on Friday.

“Second is how the information was leaked about the operation. Things like which route you will take and at what hour. This information reached the terrorists. That is why they had laid an ambush and succeeded in inflicting casualties.”

Videos shot by drones on Saturday suggested the militants may be hiding in a cave-like structure, covered by tarpaulin and surrounded by trees on all sides, sources said.

The army’s Northern Command chief, Lt Gen. Upendra Dwivedi, conducted a review of the operation on the ground. Officials said he was briefed about the “high-intensity operation” that involves the use of "advanced technology for surveillance and firepower delivery”.

The militants killed Colonel Manpreet Singh and Major Asheesh Danchok of the army and deputy superintendent of police Humayun Bhat. A soldier is missing.

The army has encircled the hill and been using under-barrel grenade launchers and rocket-propelled grenades to blast the suspected hideouts.

'Pak army fire'

In Baramulla, Indian soldiers and quadcopters came under fire from the Pakistani army, which tried to provide cover to an injured militant as he crossed the LoC back into the Pakistani side after being hit by Indian fire, the army said.

Brigadier P.M.S. Dhillon, who supervised the operation, told reporters that the army had noticed a group of infiltrating militants early in the morning in the Hathlanga area. He said the first militant was killed in a gun battle that lasted from 6.40am to 8.40am.

Two others were injured and tried to change their movement, he said.

“Another firefight started at 9.15am, which lasted half an hour and during which one terrorist was killed. The third one was injured but exfiltrated with the help of fire support from a post of the Pakistan army,” Dhillon said.

“Our men operated quadcopters and they opened fire at the quadcopters as well.”

Dhillon said the militant who had travelled back across the LoC by 300 to 400 metres appeared to have died of his wounds.