Pampore encounter
Pampore encounterIANS

Update, 6:05 p.m. IST: Three militants have been killed in an encounter that lasted around 48 hours in Pampore, Jammu & Kashmir. Two army captains, one army para commando, two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) soldiers and a civilian were killed in the encounter.

"Three militants killed, arms and ammunitions recovered," ANI quoted Maj Gen Arvind Dutta (GOC, Victor Force) as saying.

Update: 4:34 p.m. IST: The 48-hour-long pitched gun battle between the security forces and  the militants ended with the security forces killing two militants. The bodies of the two militants were recovered whereas a search operation was underway to recover the body of a third militant, ANI reports.

"Lashker-e-Taiba terror outfit appears to be behind the Pampore strike (sic)," CRPF DG Prakash Mishra told the PTI.

Original Story: The toll in the ongoing Pampore encounter in Jammu and Kashmir rose to six, Monday, Feb.22. Two army captains, one army para commando, two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) soldiers and a civilian were killed.

The deceased include Captain Pawan Kumar of 10 Para Regiment, Lance Naik Commando Om Prakash of 9 Para Regiment, Captain Tushar Mahajan of 9 Para regiment, two CRPF head Constables R.K. Rana, Bhola Singh and civilian Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI)employee Abdul Gani Mir, ANI reported. 

The militants entered the EDI building in Pampore, Kashmir, Saturday after attacking a CRPF convoy on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, killing two CRPF men.

Three to four militants are reportedly still holed up inside the EDI building in Pampore district of J&K, even as the multi-storeyed building caught fire Sunday afternoon.

"The operation is going on with full synergy. All the civilians evacuated. Two main buildings have been cleared . Now the terrorists have the main building. It is a huge campus." Lieutenant General Satish Kumar Dua told ANI.

As the encounter continued on the third day, at least 100 civilians have already been evacuated from the EDI building following the standoff, NDTV reports.

Meanwhile, the Jammu region has been put on high alert following the Pampore encounter in Kashmir.

The Army paid tributes to the Captain Tushar Mahajan of Udhampur district of J&K and Lance Naik Om Prakash who lost their lives in the encounter during the wreath laying ceremony in Srinagar, Feb. 22. 

"The mortal remains of Captain Pawan Kumar will be transported by air to his hometown Jind, district of Haryana today, where his last rites will be performed," NDTV quoted an official statement.  

"Captain Pawan was martyred while he was leading his troops from the front. Indian Army officers always lead from the front as is evident from the operations here in Kashmir in the recent past," Lieutenant General Satish Kumar Dua told ANI.