Three persons -- two troopers and a militant -- were killed during a protracted gunfight in north Kashmir's Bandipore district early on Tuesday.

Police said army troops, on getting specific information, surrounded village Gamroo, 57 km from the capital Srinagar, late Monday evening.

"Militants hiding in the village fired from their automatic weapons at the cordoning security forces. The troops also retaliated and returned the fire. In the gun battle that continued for several hours, two soldiers of the 23 Punjab regiment and one militant were killed," said a senior police officer.

"Troops have cordoned off the area and are searching the village," he added.