SRINAGAR, June 20: Nine people, including five militants, were killed in fresh violence in occupied Kashmir as authorities set free on Monday 30 jailed Kashmiris, police said. A police spokesman said militants attacked a police station in the town of Mendhar in the southern district of Poonch late on Sunday with grenades and machine guns.

“Policemen returned the fire, sparking a fierce, three-hour-long gunbattle,” he said.

Two militants, one policeman and a civilian were killed in the attack while two policemen were injured.

Meanwhile, suspected militants shot dead a policeman in an attack near his residence in southern Anantnag district late on Sunday, police said.

Police said Indian troops also shot dead three militants in the districts of Baramulla and Kupwara that same evening.

In further violence, suspected militants killed a 14-year-old girl and injured her mother in a shooting at their house late on Sunday, police said.

Meanwhile, authorities on Monday set free 30 jailed Kashmiris from different jails, an official spokesman said.

“They were released after a screening committee set-up by the government recommended their names,” he said.—AFP