Two army officers are among five security personnel who have been killed while fighting militants in an encounter in south Kashmir's Pampore area that has been on for over 40 hours. A civilian was also killed in the gunbattle that began on Saturday afternoon.

Three to five militants are still believed to be hiding inside the four storey building of Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) on the outskirts of Srinagar.

The militants sneaked into the EDI building in Pampore after attacking a CRPF convoy along the Srinagar-Jammu highway on Saturday.

Around 20 people, including government employees, who were trapped inside the main building of the complex were evacuated on Saturday. Around 90 others were also taken to safety from nearby buildings.

The entire area around the encounter site has been sealed and the highway has been closed. Heavy firing and loud explosions could be heard from the building.

This is the first major attack near Srinagar in the last six years.(Agencies)