Monday, July 3 2006 17:45 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Srinagar: Three people, including an army trooper, were killed and nearly ten houses gutted in a gun battle in a Jammu and Kashmir village that ended Monday afternoon.

Police said two holed up guerrillas and one subedar of the army were killed in the 20-hour long gun battle between surrounding troops and the guerrillas in Gamru village of Bandipora division in Baramulla district.

The fierce encounter between separatist guerrillas and the surrounding troops that started Sunday evening also resulted in the destruction of eight houses and a cowshed in the village, 57 km from summer capital Srinagar.

The army trooper, identified as Jasbir Singh, was killed Sunday when the guerrillas fired at the troops when they were challenged to surrender.

Two more troopers received injuries in the encounter.

"Bodies of the two militants were recovered from the debris of one of the houses that were gutted in the gun battle," said a police officer here.