Friday, January 14 2005 20:15 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Srinagar: Security forces today (Jan 14, 2005) killed two militants holed up in a house, ending the 23-hour encounter in which a Major and two jawans lost their lives in Badgam district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Major and a jawan were killed in a fierce gunbattle which began last evening at around 5:00 pm when militants opened fire on security forces during a search operation at village Balapora, 15 kms from Srinagar, official sources said. Another jawan was killed this morning as ultras resumed firing after the nightlong lull.

Two bodies of the ultras, believed to be of Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit, and two AK assault rifles have been recovered from the debris of the house in which the ultras had taken shelter and which was destroyed during the encounter, they said.

Security forces launched their final assault around 15:00 hrs (IST) today blasting the house resulting in the death of the two militants, the sources said, adding the adjacent house was also damaged.

In the morning, mortar shells were fired at the house in which the militants, earlier believed to be three, were hiding in an attempt to corner them to one side of the building.

The militants had taken refuge in the house, owned by Abdul Gani Bhat and Ghulam Mohammad Bhat- both employees of State police, as soon as security forces reached the village and started door-to-door searches.

The operation had been suspended overnight but the security forces maintained a tight cordon around the area to prevent the ultras from escaping, the sources said.

A civilian, identified as Bashir Ahmad Dar, was injured when a stray bullet hit him in the thigh at Chadoora, two kilometres from the scene of encounter, the sources said.