Srinagar, April 2 (IANS) Two suspected separatist guerrillas and a civilian were killed and an army trooper was wounded in Jammu and Kashmir Wednesday, the police said here. According to the police, troops of Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operations Group (SOG) of the state police jointly surrounded a house in Dardpora village, nearly 58 km from here, in Bandipore district of north Kashmir.

“Militants hiding in the house opened fire” after the security forces challenged them, said a police officer.

“One army trooper was seriously wounded in the firing,” the officer said.

“Security forces also returned the fire, resulting in a sustained gunfight, which ended this (Wednesday) afternoon, after both the holed up militants were killed,” he added.

The identity of the slain militants was not known. The police said one house and a barn were destroyed during the gunfight.

In another incident, a villager was killed early Wednesday after troopers allegedly opened fire in village Marhama near Tral in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, 50 km from here.

According to the police, the civilian tried to escape from the village during a cordon and search operation.

The killing of the villager triggered protests in the village and police reinforcements have been rushed to the area.