Three die in Mosque gun battle

Indian security forces shot dead three Islamic militants in a fierce gun battle at a Kashmir mosque yesterday.

At least four separatist guerrillas were hiding in the mosque in Shangus, 45 miles south of Srinagar, the summer capital, said Ashok Bhan, inspector general of police of the state.

‘‘We can see through binoculars that three bodies are inside the mosque,’’ Bhan said.

He did not comment on security force casualties but residents of the area said two soldiers were killed in the fighting.

More than a dozen militant groups have been fighting to separate Kashmir from India since 1989.

The groups are divided over whether they want independence for Kashmir or if it should become part of Pakistan.