A midnight ambush by militants on Wednesday left three soldiers and woman dead and five including a Major and Lt Colonel injured at Mulu Chitragam village in Shopian district of South Kashmir.
A spokesman of Hizbul Mujhadeen called a local news agency and claimed responsibility for the attack.
Police said the attack on a joint party of 44 Rashtriya Riffles and police took place after they were returning from a cordon and search operation at Kungnoo Shopian drew a blank.
"While returning from Kungnoo, the CASO party was attacked by the unknown militants at Mulu Chitragam at about 2 am resulting in injuries to six army personnel including two officers. Three of them later succumbed to their injuries," a police spokesman said.
The deceased soldiers have been identified as Lance Naik Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Rather, Sapper Sreejith MJ and Sepoy Vikas Singh Gurjar. Hailing from Punchpora village of Anantnag district in south Kashmir, Lance Naik is survived by wife Shahzada Akhter and son Aahil Mohi-ud-din.
Sapper Sreejith, who hails from Paruthipully village in Palakkad district of Kerala, is survived by his mother Usha Kumari.
Hailing from Andhyakhara village of Karouli district in Rajasthan, Sepoy Gurjar is survived by wife Ram Raji.
A woman Taja Begum also died after she was hit by a stray bullet inside her house during the crossfire.
“Taja, who was hit by a stray bullet inside her house during the crossfire later succumbed to her injuries”, said the spokesman.
“Such incidents have only strengthened our resolve to continue relentless operations against the Pakistan sponsored anti-nationals In the Kashmir valley,” said Colonel N.N. Joshi, defence spokesman at Northern Command.
But the pro-Pakistan Dukhtaran-e- Milat praised the attack by Hizbul.
“The damage inflicted by the Mujahideen on the enemy has frustrated government of India and their stooges in Kashmir. It has created confusion among the Indian army,” said Syeda Aasiyeh Andrabi, chairperson of DeM, in a statement.
The attack coincided with a new video showing group's senior commander Zakir Musa with other ultras lighting a bonfire at unknown location amid Jihadi songs in the backdrop.
The attack came after February 12 attack in which two army men were killed and three others injured in an encounter at Frisal village of Kulgam district. Two civilians were also killed.
On February 14, four soldiers including a major were killed and 11 others, including a Major and Commandant of 45th battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), sustained injuries in two separate encounters in North Kashmir.
