In Jammu and Kashmir, four militants and a soldier were killed in an encounter at Kalaroos near the Line of Control in the frontier district of Kupwara today.

According to an Army spokesman, one soldier Naik Neeraj Kumar who was injured during the operation and later airlifted to 92 Base hospital in Srinagar, succumbed to his injuries.

The spokesman said, the identity and group affiliation of the slain militants was not immediately known. The operation was still in progress when reports last came in.

Earlier, an Army soldier was killed in a separate encounter with militants near the Line of Control in Keran sector of Kupwara district. The encounter had started last night when security forces launched a search operation in the area following information about presence of militants.

The deceased Army soldier has been identified as Rahul Kumar.