Srinagar: Two army personnel including a commando and a militant have been killed in a gunfight in Ratnipora village of Pulwama in southern Kahsmir.

Several other forces personnel have suffered injuries in the gunfight and have been hospitalised.

The gunfight erupted after a joint team of army’s 50 RR, 10 Para, Jammu and Kashmir Police and other paramilitary forces laid siege to the area and started search operation. The operation, officials said, was launched after specific inputs about the presence of militants.

The official said that as the cordon was tightened around the suspected house, the hiding militants fired at the forces leaving three personnel injured. The injured were shifted to army’s 92 base hospital at Badamibagh in Srinagar. “Two of them including the commando succumbed due to critical injuries,” he said.

The slain army personnel have been identified as Sepoy Baljeet Singh and Naik Saneed of 10 Para while the injured has been identified as Hawaldar Chander Pal.

While the slain militant has been identified as Hilal Ahmad alias Ukasha, a resident of Gandibagh Kakapora in Pulwama district. Hilal was affiliated with militant outfit Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.