The gunfight erupted when militants ambused a patrol party of the Army at Moolu Chitragam area early in the morning.

A militant and his “active associate” were killed in a pre-dawn exchange of fire with security forces in south Kashmir’s Shopian, taking the toll of militants killed this year over 100.

A police spokesman said the two of them were killed in a brief shoot out. “During the preceding night, security forces at a checkpoint on Shopian Turkawangom road at Mool Chitragam intercepted a vehicle. However, the militants boarding the vehicle opened fire from inside on security forces which were retaliated,” said the police.

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In the retaliation, the security forces killed Firdous Ahmad Bhat, a militant, and Sajad Ahmad, an active associate, who was driving the vehicle. “Both of them were the residents of Kulgam. Moreover, one militant, taking advantage of darkness, managed to flee from the spot,” said the police.

However, locals said Ahmad was a civilian. The Srinagar-based Army spokesman also suggested it killed only one militant in the encounter.

Meanwhile, the police said slain Bhat was a “listed militant”. “The bodies of both of them were handed over to their legal heirs after completion of medico-legal formalities. Incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition, were recovered from the spot,” said the police.

Over 100 militants have been killed in stepped up operations in Kashmir this year.