Two persons, including a militant, were killed during a gunfight in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district on Saturday evening, Greater Kashmir reported, quoting police.

The militant was identified as Irfan Bhat, who was associated with the Hizbul Mujahideen since June 2017, police said. The other person was Shahid Mir, a resident of Khudpora. Locals told Kashmir Reader that security forces initially tried to identify Mir as a militant. In a statement later, police cited records to say that Mir was in the past involved in a “terrorist-related incident”, for which he had been booked under the Arms Act. The statement did not specify the outcome of that case.

Police believe “a couple of terrorists” escaped from the site of the gunfight. Arms and ammunition were recovered from the site. Police have filed a case.

The gunfight began after militants hiding in a house opened fired at the security forces who were conducting a cordon and search operation in Khudpora village around 7 pm on Saturday.