<p>The encounter ended as the two militants hiding in the house escaped. The security forces have launched a combing operation to hunt the militants.<br /><br />Police said troops of 22 Rashtriya Rifles and the Special Operations Group of the state police surrounded a house in Sopore, 52 km from here, on Saturday evening following a tip-off on the presence of militants.<br /><br />"The militants started indiscriminate automatic gunfire at the surrounding security men.<br />The house has been completely marked off to ensure the militants are unable to escape under the cover of darkness in the area," a senior police officer said.<br /><br />Reports reaching here said a top commander of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen guerrilla outfit is inside the house.<br /><br />Sopore town was recently upgraded to the level of a police district following an upsurge in guerrilla activities.</p>
<p>The encounter ended as the two militants hiding in the house escaped. The security forces have launched a combing operation to hunt the militants.<br /><br />Police said troops of 22 Rashtriya Rifles and the Special Operations Group of the state police surrounded a house in Sopore, 52 km from here, on Saturday evening following a tip-off on the presence of militants.<br /><br />"The militants started indiscriminate automatic gunfire at the surrounding security men.<br />The house has been completely marked off to ensure the militants are unable to escape under the cover of darkness in the area," a senior police officer said.<br /><br />Reports reaching here said a top commander of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen guerrilla outfit is inside the house.<br /><br />Sopore town was recently upgraded to the level of a police district following an upsurge in guerrilla activities.</p>