Srinagar: About sixty persons, mostly women, trapped inside a mosque, where unspecified number of militants have taken shelter, were rescued by the army in Litter village in Pulwama district, about 70 km from Srinagar.

Army troops cordoned off the mosque in Litter village following specific information about the presence of militants, defence sources said. The hiding militants opened fire from the mosque on the troops when they approached near the place of worship, the sources said adding troops fired back but had to stop the firing to avoid civilian casualties as a group of women were also trapped inside the mosque.

The sources said it was not immediately known whether the women were taken hostage by the militants or they have entered the mosque on their own to offer prayers.

The number of the women inside the mosque was said to be around 40, the sources said.

They said efforts are on to rescue the women and persuade the militants to surrender.

Reinforcements had been rushed to the area and further details were awaited, the sources said.

The trapped civilians were safely evacuated by the troops from the mosque with the help women police, defence sources said.

They said the rescued persons were segregated and were being scrutinised to avoid militants escaping in the guise of the civilians.

The encounter between holed up militants and the security forces were on.