Srinagar, June 24: A junior commissioned officer and a Hizbul Mujahideen militant were among persons killed and two injured in separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since last night, a police spokesman said today. Security forces busted two hideout and recovered large quantity of weapons at Surankote in Poonch and Darhal in Rajouri districts during the period, the spokesman said.
A JCO belonging to 19 Rashtriya Rifles was killed in an encounter with militants at Gagal forest in Lolab area of Kupwara district last night.
A civilian identified as Mushtaq Ahmad war was killed and another Mohammad Akbar Lone seriously injured when some explosive substance went off at Wahipora village of Kupwara district in north Kashmir this morning, the spokesman said.
The two civilians were accompanying an Army search party which had raided the village in search of militants, official sources said, adding the blast took place when they were digging a piece of land where army suspected ultras had hidden their weapons. However, troops escaped unhurt in the blast.

The incident sparked off massive protest demonstration as hundreds of people took to streets and blocked the main road at Younis demanding action against the troops which they alleged forcibly took the duo along with them as human Sheild and made them to dig the ground adjacent to a cowshed where an improvised explosive device had been planted. Bureau Report