Two personnel of Special Operations Group of police were also injured in the encounter that broke out around 6 pm last evening in Khazanbal, 110 kms from here.
Superintendent of Police, Kulgam, Keshev Ram, told PTI that police assisted by troops of 62 Rashtriya Rifles cordoned the village last evening following specific information about the presence of militants in a house.
As the joint search parties zeroed in around the house, the militants opened fire injuring Surinder Singh of 62 Rashtriya Rifles and Special Police Officer Zahoor Ahmad. Both were rushed to hospital where Surinder Singh succumbed to injuries.
In the retaliatory fire, one of the militants was killed last evening. Another militant, who engaged the security forces till 9 am this morning, was subsequently gunned down. The slain militants were identified as Tahir and Adil.
Ram said two AK rifles, several grenades, an IED and some rounds of ammunition were recovered from the militants.
He described the killing of the two commanders as a "major success" as the two were involved in the killings of civilians in South Kashmir.
The killing of the two militants comes close on the heels of gunning down of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Riyaz Ahmad Deedad at Abhama, 60 kms from here, in Pulwama district on Tuesday.