From correspondents in Jammu and Kashmir, India, 09:01 PM IST

Two separatist militants and a special police officer (SPO) were killed and 14 security men were wounded in a gunfight in Sopore town of north Kashmir that went on for more than 24 hours till Wednesday evening.

The fierce gunfight in Warpora locality of Sopore town started Tuesday after troops of the 22 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of police jointly surrounded a house on specific tip-off.

'The encounter has ended,' a senior police officer said.

He told IANS two top militants belonging to the Hizbul Mujaheedin and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfits were killed in the gunfight, during which one house was completely destroyed while two more were partially damaged.

'One SPO died on the spot in the initial gunfight yesterday. In all, 14 security men including seven RR troopers, four policemen and three CRPF troopers were wounded. All the injured who included a senior CRPF officer are undergoing treatment in hospital.'

Hundreds of people joined the funeral of the two slain guerrillas in the evening shouting pro-freedom slogans.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)