Srinagar: One militant and two Army jawans were killed as a fierce gunbattle continued between some ultras holed up in a building near a school after a failed attempt by them to storm an Army camp nearby in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir this morning (Mar 11, 2004).

Over 200 girl students have been evacuated from the Government school adopted by the Army as gunfire between the Army and militants numbering between two to three, belonging to the pro-Pakistan Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit continued, official sources said.

One militant has been killed so far, but the body is yet to be retrieved, the sources said, adding heavy exchange of fire was going on.

They said two Army personnel were also killed when militants made an abortive bid to storm the camp of the elite 32 Rashtriya Rifles at Khrew by exploding grenades and firing indiscriminately at 9.40 am.

The security forces retaliated forcing militants to take shelter in the building behind a Government school adopted by the Army and were firing intermittently.

Army has cordoned off the area to prevent them from escaping, the sources said, adding 210 girl students have been evacuated after a nearly two hour stand-off with the militants.

However, a Defence spokesperson denied that the militants had entered the camp.