Indian military Wednesday said a junior officer and three militants were killed in gunfight near Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir.

With this, the death toll has rose to seven in a two-day standoff at Tut Mari Gali near Nowgam sector of frontier Kupwara district, about 125 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"The relentless operations of the army across the Shamshabari ridge in Tut Mari Gali Sector today resulted in the elimination of three more militants, bringing their death toll to six in the gunfight," a Srinagar based Indian military spokesman said.

"During the operation one Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) Ajay Vardhan made the supreme sacrifice fighting these militants. The officer came under a hail of bullets and was grievously wounded and succumbed during evacuation."

The gunfight broke out Tuesday. The military claims recovery of six assault rifles, a pistol and large quantity of ammunition at the gunfight site.

Identity of the slain militants was being ascertained. However, no independent confirmation could be made about the gunfight in the remote sector.

LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan controlled parts.

"The army is continuing the operation in the area to search out any militant who may be hiding or attempting to escape," the spokesman said.

A local newspaper Daily Excelsior said four troopers were also wounded fighting militants in the sector.

A guerrilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in the region since 1989. Gunfight between militants and Indian troopers takes place intermittently in the restive region.

On Tuesday Indian army chief, General Dalbir Singh concluded a two-day visit of the region. Singh reviewed security and visited forward posts in Tangdhar and Machil sectors of Kupwara to held interactions with the troops deployed on LoC.

The militant infiltration attempt coincided with the second- phase of polling for local elections in the region.

Last week militants entered an underground bunker of Indian military in Arnia, close to International Border and engaged Indian military in a two-day gunfight. The standoff claimed 12 lives - four militants, five civilians, and three Indian troopers including a junior officer. Endi

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