Jammu, May 20: A major and three jawans were killed in an ambush by suspected militants in Rajouri district this morning, reports our correspondent.

A patrolling party of the 14 Maratha Light Infantry came under heavy fire from the militants hiding in the thickly-forested Kalakot region around 10 am. The patrol party was combing the area where four coal miners were shot dead last weekend. Major Satayjet Shinday and the three jawans had been killed by the time the soldiers took position and started firing back.

Four soldiers were injured, sources said. Two of them are in serious condition.

Police suspect the Lashkar-e-Toiba was behind the ambush.

The brigadier general staff of 16 Corps, Brigadier Dhruv Katoch, admitted this was the biggest militant strike in recent weeks and said more troops have been dispatched to the area.