Tension gripped the Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir, when two jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force went berserk and opened fire in air outside a local bar late on Wednesday, sources said in Jammu on Thursday.

"Thinking them as militants in uniform, the locals chased the drunk CRPF constables and thrashed them," police sources told UNI.

Police, however, rushed to the spot and the identities of the jawans were ascertained during frisking as both the jawans belonged to the CRPF.

"The constables were arrested, while their AK-47 rifles were seized and a case registered against the duo identified as Thoyaban and Satish Tyagi, both posted in 91 Battalion in Samba town. They have been arrested," a senior police official added.

However, a large number of people blocked the national highway and protested against firing by the CRPF personnel.

Later, the highway was cleared for traffic movement after the arrest of the CRPF constables.