A senior police officer and a militant were killed on Sunday in an ongoing gunfight between security forces and militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district, police sources said.

"The body of the slain militant is lying at the encounter site and is yet to be recovered," a police official said.

Reports said two to three militants from the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), which claimed responsibility for the February 14 suicide bombing that killed 40 CRPF troopers, were hiding in the village.

Clashes occurred near the gunfight site as civilians tried to disrupt the operation against the militants. Security forces used tear smoke and pellets to disperse the mobs.

The Army's Rashtriya Rifles, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of state police started a cordon and search operation in Turigam after being tipped off about the presence of militants there.

"As the security forces tightened the cordon, militants fired at them, triggering an encounter which is going on," a police officer said.

--IANS

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