Srinagar, Kashmir - Four Indian soldiers including a major and six suspected Muslim militants were killed in clashes in India-administered Kashmir, a defence spokesman said Sunday.

Acting on a tip about the presence of militant groups in the Hafrooda forests in the northern Kupwara district, a team of the army and police launched the operation on Friday evening.

Militants hiding in the forests opened fire resulting in the gunbattles in the area, situated some 80 kilometres north of state capital Srinagar, officials said.

Srinagar, Mar 22 : Three Army personnel, a Major and four militants have been killed in an encounter at Hafrada forest in the Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir.

According to sources, the gunbattle, which is continuing since Friday, has also injured a soldier.

On receiving information of the militant infiltration in the forest area, the Army, assisted by the local police acted promptly and launched a gunbattle in which Major Mehak and three other jawans were killed, while Havildar Rakesh Kumar was injured, sources said.

Srinagar, Mar. 21 : A Jammu and Kashmir based engineer has come out with a 504-year cyclical chart so that countries celebrating Islamic holidays do not face confusion over Islamic calendar dates.

"I have revised a lunar calendar for 504-years. The work, the approach is totally unprecedented and in my assessment the whole thing will go a long way in preserving the chaotic conditions that we face time and again," Bilal Ghulam Nabi Mir said.

Srinagar, Mar 21: Houseboat Owner''s Association has launched campaign to spread awareness among the residents as well as tourists about Dal Lake.

Raw sewage, land encroachment and years of neglect have threatened survival of the lake.

Members of the Association are now pasting banners and poster with the message of protecting the lake on houseboats and Shikaras (Canoe).

Srinagar, Mar 20 : A drama festival aimed at boosting theatre and projecting Kashmir as a safe place to visit kicked off in Srinagar.

Organised by the Academy of Art, Culture and Language, the week-long festival entertain theatre enthusiasts through different plays in Kashmiri and other languages.

A number of theatre artistes from different parts of the country have gathered here for the festival.

The organisers believe that the festival would boost theatre culture in the region.

Srinagar-Leh highway, Mar20 : Border Roads Organisation (BRO) officials are toiling hard to reopen the Leh- Srinagar highway in Kashmir, which remains snow-blocked for six months.

"Leh remains cut-off from Kashmir for six months. We want to open the highway as soon as possible so that Leh and Kashmir could stay connected," said Abdul Rasheed, a BRO worker.

The work which had started on March 9 is expected to be over within a month.

The highway linking Srinagar with Ladakh region, passes through Zojila, one of the highest mountain passes of the world.