Elderly couple held hostage freed in Poonch

Jammu, Sept 11 (PTI) An elderly couple, who were heldhostage in their own house by militants, was rescued today asthree militants and a policeman were killed during theoperation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district. "The couple, who were held hostage, have been safelyevacuated. Three militants have been killed," Deputy InspectorGeneral (DIG) Rajouri-Poonch range, Johny Willian told PTI. Earlier in the day, the Director General of Police (DGP),Jammu and Kashmir, K Rajendra Kumar said, "They (militants)are in a house, where there is a civilian couple in a hostagesituation. Forces are retrieving them. We have to evacuate thecivilians first." The militants were holding Haji Nazir Mir and his wifeMumtaz Mir hostage. Haji Nazir Mir is a cousin of the Congress MLC and Deputychairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council JahangirHussain Mir. In the encounter between militants and security forcepersonnel, three militants and a policeman were killed whilefive others — two cops including a sub-inspector, two armymen and a civilian were injured. Both Mir and his wife, who had locked themselves inside aroom in the building, were rescued unhurt after the militantswere killed around 7.15 PM, police said. PTI AB MNG SMNMNG