Two militants from the Hizbul Mujaheedin outfit, including fugitive Raees Ahmad Kachroo, were killed in a fierce encounter at Mailura in south Kashmir's [ Images ] Shopian district on Wednesday morning.

Based on a tip-off about the militants hiding in a house in Mailura, troops of the 55 Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operations Group of the police surrounded their hide-out and asked the two militants to surrender.

"The militants opened fire at the surrounding security forces, resulting in an encounter, during which both the militants were killed," a police spokesman said.

Kachroo had escaped from police custody from inside a court complex in Pulwama district on November 4, 2008.

A massive manhunt had been launched to track down the militant.