The Army killed two militants and recovered two AK-47s during the encounter, which was going on till last reports came in. The Army and the police have sent reinforcements from Kishtwar but they were yet to reach the encounter site, reports reaching here said.

While three Army jawans died during an exchange of fire, six others were killed and about 10 injured in an explosion near the encounter site. The four critically injured jawans were airlifted to the Military Hospital, Udhampur, while the others including a Village Defence Committee (VDC) member, Romesh Kumar, were admitted in the Government Sub-District Hospital at Kishtwar. The identity of the deceased and the injured Army jawans could not be ascertained.

Giving details, sources said a party of 11 Rashtriya Rifles hadcome in contact with the militants during a combing operation at Gran Morh near Mughal Maidan, 40 km from Kishtwar in the morning. During the exchange of fire, three jawans and two militants were killed.

As the RR party asked for more reinforcements, Armymen were rushed to the encounter site from Kishtwar in a one-ton vehicle. A VDC member, Romesh Kumar, also accompained them in the vehicle to show them the way as the troops had to trek about five km mountainous terrain to reach the encounter site.

When the Army vehicle reached Passerkot, five km from the site, it was blown up by a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) around 10 am. Five Armymen died on the spot, while another succumbed to injuries later, sources said.

They said the militants appear to have planted the IED to stop reinforcements from the Army and the police from reaching the encounter site. Senior Army and police officers from Doda had rushed to Kishtwar soon after hearing about the incident.

Additional reinforcements had beenrushed to the encounter site but they were yet to reach there. Sources said the encounter was, however, still going on.