SRINAGAR: Two suspected militants were killed and a civilian was critically wounded in a shootout with government forces in India-held Kashmir on Monday, police said, as tensions in the disputed territory ran high.

A police officer was also critically wounded in a separate incident in the valley, which has seen a spike in vio-lence in recent months.

The two militants died in a gun battle with special police counterinsurgency forces and troops who had cordoned off a neighbourhood in the south of the region early on Monday.

Hundreds of villagers poured out onto the streets to try to help the trapped militants escape, many throwing stones and shouting slogansagainst the Indian rule. One was injured when government forces fired into the crowd.

`Two militants were killed in the encounter. According to our input one more is still fighting,` director general of police S.P. Vaid said.

Another police officer speaking on condition of anonymity said all three fighters were locals.-AFP