Srinagar, Aug 11 (IANS): Two militants have been killed by the security forces in an ongoing operation in Pulwama district, Jammu and Kashmir Police said on Tuesday.

A senior police officer told IANS here, "The body of a slain militant has been sighted by the security forces in the cordoned area in Ratnipora (Pulwama) where a gunbattle had started on Monday evening.

"Another militant has also been killed in this encounter and the security forces are now searching for his body in the cordoned area," the official added.

Security forces on Tuesday carried out a cordon and search operation to flush out militants hiding in the district.

"Security forces had surrounded Peer Mohalla (village) (Rantipora) late Monday on a specific information that some militants were hiding there," a senior police officer told IANS here.

"The operation is still continuing. The exact identity of the two militants cannot be established till their bodies are recovered," the officer said.

On Monday, militants fired at a Rashtriya Rifles patrol team following which the security operation was launched.

The area cordoned off by the security forces includes large parts of orchard land in the area, where the militants had reportedly escaped from Peer Mohalla (Ratnipora) village.