<p>All three militants holed up in a house in Shopian were believed to be killed after an overnight encounter with security forces, in which a Major and an army jawan lost their lives.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"The gunfire stopped at 0915 hrs this morning. We believe all the militants have been killed," a senior police official said.<br /><br />He said at least two militants were believed to have been killed yesterday itself but the exact situation will be revealed once they retrieve the bodies.<br /><br />He said a militant opened fire on the security forces in the wee hours today and they retaliated. The exchange of fire lasted nearly three hours.<br /><br />Security forces launched a search operation in Karewa Malino in Shopian, 55 kms from here, last evening following information about presence of three militants -- two locals and a foreigner.<br /><br />The militants were asked to surrender but they resorted to firing, triggering the gunfight.<br /><br />An army major and a soldier were killed in the operation against the militants yesterday while another soldier was injured.<br /><br />He said the security forces will first remove the body of the slain army soldier, which was lying close to the house.<br /><br />"Search of the debris will be conducted afterwards and the total number of militants killed can be confirmed only after the sifting operation is complete," he added.<br /><br />Shopian is part of the Anantnag Parliamentary constituency and the encounter took place a day after militants carried out an attack on a polling party escorted by police and CRPF in the district at the end of the voting on Thursday.<br /><br />One polling officer was killed while five others including three security personnel were injured in the incident.</p>
<p>All three militants holed up in a house in Shopian were believed to be killed after an overnight encounter with security forces, in which a Major and an army jawan lost their lives.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"The gunfire stopped at 0915 hrs this morning. We believe all the militants have been killed," a senior police official said.<br /><br />He said at least two militants were believed to have been killed yesterday itself but the exact situation will be revealed once they retrieve the bodies.<br /><br />He said a militant opened fire on the security forces in the wee hours today and they retaliated. The exchange of fire lasted nearly three hours.<br /><br />Security forces launched a search operation in Karewa Malino in Shopian, 55 kms from here, last evening following information about presence of three militants -- two locals and a foreigner.<br /><br />The militants were asked to surrender but they resorted to firing, triggering the gunfight.<br /><br />An army major and a soldier were killed in the operation against the militants yesterday while another soldier was injured.<br /><br />He said the security forces will first remove the body of the slain army soldier, which was lying close to the house.<br /><br />"Search of the debris will be conducted afterwards and the total number of militants killed can be confirmed only after the sifting operation is complete," he added.<br /><br />Shopian is part of the Anantnag Parliamentary constituency and the encounter took place a day after militants carried out an attack on a polling party escorted by police and CRPF in the district at the end of the voting on Thursday.<br /><br />One polling officer was killed while five others including three security personnel were injured in the incident.</p>