By IRNA,
Srinagar : As massive demonstrations demanding independence of Kashmir from India overwhelmed capital Srinagar, militants fought a fierce gunbattle with Indian army in the northern forests killing four soldiers including a colonel.
Police sources said Colonel J J Joseph, commanding officer of elite National Rifles, who was leading an operation against Muslim militants in the forests of Kupwara district, was killed along with three more soldiers in a fierce encounter lasting several hours Friday morning.
Police said four militants also died fighting soldiers who had surrounded their hideouts in the dense forests.
Col Joseph was injured and was airlifted to Base Hospital in Srinagar where he succumbed to his injuries.
The gunbattle was going on, when reports last came in, Friday afternoon.
Another report said while the gunbattle was raging, militants engaged army troops in another gunfight three to four kilometer away.
Another senior officer, who was injured, has been admitted to Base Hospital in Srinagar for treatment.
Joseph is the highest ranking army official to have been killed in counter-insurgency operations in the last one year. Earlier, another colonel from Maratha Light Infantry was killed while leading his men in busting a militant hideout in Baramulla sector in the state.