Srinagar, May 31 (UNI) Security forces shot dead two militants in an overnight encounter at Awantipora sub district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

The gunfight erupted at Rajpora area of Awantipora on Monday evening when joint teams of forces launched a cordon and a search operation in the area.

"As the search party proceeded towards the suspected spot, the hidden terrorists fired indiscriminately, which was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter. In the ensuing gun battle two terrorists were killed," a police official said.

Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar identified the slain as Shahid Rather of Tral and Umar Yousuf of Shopian.

" Besides other terror crimes, terrorist Shahid was involved in killing of a woman Mst Shakeela of Aripal & a govt employee/ peon Javid Ahmed of Lurgam Tral," IGP Kashmir was quoted in a police tweet.

This was the second gunfight in Kashmir in last 24 hours. On Monday security forces shot dead two local Jaish-e-Mohammad militants in a gun battle in neighbouring Pulwama.

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