Two armymen and four militants were killed in two separate encounters in Kulgam district of south Kashmir on Saturday.

The two back-to-back gunfights took place amid unprecedented security arrangements for the ongoing Amarnath Yatra. The yatra was halted on Saturday morning following heavy downpour but resumed later.

Though the pilgrims have to pass through Kulgam district, the two villages where the encounter broke out are far from the yatra route.

Police said the first encounter broke out at Modergam village where security forces were carrying out a cordon and search operation following an input about the presence of militants.

“The search operation turned into a gun battle after the forces came under heavy firing. In the initial exchange of fire, a soldier of the elite unit was critically injured, who later succumbed to his wounds at a medical facility,” a police official
said.

A local source said the exchange of fire continued for a few hours before stopping around 5.30pm.

“There is a strong presence of security personnel here and they are conducting the searches. The gunfight took place outside the main village,” he said.

Officials said additional forces were rushed to the area to prevent the militants fromescaping.

Late in the afternoon, the police said another gunfight broke out in Kulgam’s Frisal Chinnigam, more than 12km away, killing four militants and a soldier.

Drone footage showed bodies of four suspected militants lying listless on the ground. Two more militants are believed to be trapped there.

Valley additional director-general of police V.S. Birdi said they had spotted some bodies there but could not retrieve them because the operation was still under way.

“The area has been surrounded by a joint team of the army, the CRPF and the police,” a source said.