Srinagar: A colonial and a soldier were injured in an ongoing gun battle that rages in Handwara town of North Kashmir since Saturday evening.

 Official sources told Srinagar based news gathering agency GNS that army’s 41 RR, and commandos from 4 PARA, 9 PARA who had launched massive search operation in number of forest areas in Manigah following killing of army colonel on Nov 17, intercepted the fleeing militant group today in the afternoon at Haji Naka in Manigah, triggering off a fierce encounter.

In the firefight, two soldiers including a Lt Colonel KS Natt sustained bullet injuries, they said.

“All the injured were immediately evacuated to military hospital in Drugmulla for treatment.”

The group, according to the police official, had infiltrated on intervening night of 30/31 Oct and was trapped in the mountainous terrain due to heavy rains and snowfall.

On Nov 17, militants killed an army colonel of 47 RR in forest area of Behak near Sonwali in Manigah area of the district.

The said militant group had managed to escape four times since Nov 13 in different locations in Manigah sector.

On Nov 10, the army’s 41 RR had recovered the body of a militant in Kumkadi forests of Manigah who is believed to have died due to severe cold.