Ramban encounter: Three militants, Army jawan killed in J-K’s Batote area; civilian hostage rescued

A defence ministry spokesperson Lt Colonel Devender Anand called Singh a brave, highly motivated and sincere soldier and that the nation will always remain indebted to him for his supreme sacrifice.

The encounter followed after a group of five armed militants took refuge inside a civilian’s residence after they targeted a Territorial Army patrol in Batote area earlier in the day.

Sources told The Indian Express that the house owner, Vijar Kumar, and his family were taken hostage. The militants later released all members of the family except Kumar, a tailor. Subsequently, the house owner was rescued, Jammu and Kashmir Police confirmed on Twitter.

The area is cordoned off, and vehicular traffic along the highways and adjoining link roads has been halted.

According to sources, the militants were initially hiding near one of the quarters of the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) personnel. As the Territorial Army patrol passed through the area this morning, the militants panicked and threw two or three hand grenades at them and opened fire from their rifles, thinking they were being cordoned off.