SRINAGAR, July 3: Indian forces on Wednesday claimed killing nine Mujahideen in occupied Kashmir. Three other people were also killed in the held state during a 24-hour period beginning Tuesday midnight.

A police spokesman said Indian forces shot dead three members of the Jaish-i-Mohammad in a gunbattle in Rajouri district, southwest of Srinagar, on Wednesday.

Five Mujahideen were dead in two clashes with Indian forces in the neighbouring district of Poonch on Tuesday, police claimed.

Elsewhere, an activist of held Kashmir’s ruling National Conference party, a freedom fighter and two civilians were killed in separate shootouts in the occupied valley since Tuesday evening, police said.

JKLF LEADER HELD: In a separate incident, police said they detained Javid Mir, a leader of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), in Srinagar as he protested calls by right-wing Hindus for the division of held Kashmir into three parts along religious lines.