A missing Kashmir University professor Mohammad Rafi Bhat along with other militants are trapped in Bandigam village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district, sources said.

Muhammad Rafi Bhat, whose disappearance had triggered protests at the varsity yesterday, is working as assistant professor in sociology department. He was missing since Friday afternoon.

Rafi has a doctorate in sociology and has cleared UGC’s Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) exams also.

Sources said that Bhat is also trapped in a house and exchange of firing is going on.

he added that police have contacted his family at Chunduna Ganderbal to convince him to surrender.

Earlier, the encounter had started in Bandigam village of Shopian between forces and militants in wee hours in which one army soldier and one SOG man was injured.