Srinagar, July 10 : Two militants were killed while 20 civilian protesters and two soldiers were injured on Tuesday in a gunfight in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district, police said.

The father of one of the rebels died of shock after hearing that his son was trapped in the hideout.

The two militants were killed in Kundalan village after they opened fire on security forces, triggering a gun battle. "The identity of the militants is being established," a police officer said.

As civilians poured out of their homes and clashed with the security forces during the fighting, security personnel fired tear gas and pellet gunshots to prevent any disruption in the operations, leading to at least 20 injuries.

A doctor at a hospital where the injured civilians were shifted said one of the youths had a gunshot injury in his leg. Two soldiers, including a Junior Commissioned Officer, injured in the gunfight were shifted to the Army's 92 Base Hospital here.

Muhammad Ishaq Naikoo, the father of Zeenat, who had just joined the militant ranks, was declared dead on arrival at a hospital. Naikoo suffered cardiac arrest.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.

Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.

"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.

"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country

"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.

"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.

Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.

"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.

"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.