SRINAGAR (TIP): A Major and an army jawan were killed in a six-hour gun-battle with three militants holed up in a house in Shopian district of south Kashmir, an army spokesman said. The house in which the militants had taken shelter was blown up and a senior police officer said at least two ultras were suspected to have been killed in the operation. Major Mukund Vardharajan and sepoy Vikram were killed in the operation in Karewa Malino village, 55 km from here, the army spokesman said.

The bodies of the militants and the army jawan are yet to be recovered, the spokesman and police officials said. At least three militants — two locals and one foreigner — were holed up in the house. They were asked to surrender but they resorted to firing, triggering the gunfight.

Shopian is part of the Anantnag Lok Sabha 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 resulting in the death of a polling official and injuries to five others including three securitymen.