Two suspected militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Pulwama district’s Bahmnoo area in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday morning, reported PTI. The encounter is still under way, a police spokesperson said.

Security forces had launched a search operation in the area on Monday morning, following information that suspected militants were hiding in the locality, the official said.

The police identified the militant gunned down as Kifayat. Another militant is still trapped in the cordon, officers said, according to Hindustan Times.

The incident took place just 30 km from Pulwama’s Malangpora area, where security forces had launched another search operation late on Sunday. They had cordoned off the area after receiving information that suspected militants were hiding in the locality, ANI reported. The police had said they had reports about the presence of a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander, among others, in the area, reported The Indian Express.

Villagers had, however, tried to disrupt the joint search operation conducted by the Army, local police and Central Reserve Police Force. A large number of people had taken to the streets and thrown stones at the security personnel. The police had to fire teargas shells in retaliation to disperse the crowd.

On Saturday, two militants, including top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Bashir Lashkari, had been killed during an exchange of fire between security forces and the armed accused holed up in a house in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district.