A policeman of the Special Operations Group and a militant were killed in a fierce encounter in north Kashmir's Sopore town on Friday.
 
Friday's gunfight came in the wake of a strike by militants in the highway town of Pattan that left two paramilitary troopers dead.
 
Troops of Rashtriya Rifles and SOG of the state police, in a joint operation, surrounded a house in Krankshivan locality of the Sopore early on Friday after receiving specific information about the presence of militants inside it.
 
"As the security forces asked the holed up militants to surrender, they fired back, triggering a gunfight which is still going on," a senior police officer said.
 
He said one policeman and a militant have been killed in the encounter.
 
Tension has gripped Sopore town following the heavy firing between the holed up militants and security forces.