In yet another battle between security forces and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants, three militants were killed on Thursday. The gunfight took place for six hours in Kashmir, which led to protests across the south of the valley.

All the mobile phone and internet services were suspended in many parts of south Kashmir in order to prevent rumours and details being spread about the counter-insurgency operation through social media.

Police said, "the slain militants were all Kashmiris and apparently belonged to south Kashmir."

"Three local militants of LeT have been killed. But a search operation is still going on," a police officer said.

As soon as the news about the killings got viral, clashes erupted between protestors and security forces. The protesters even tried to enter the gunfight site in Arwani village of Anantnag, which is located some 40 km south.

The clashes also led to protestors throwing a stone at the security forces.

Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Abu Dujana said to be one of the most wanted militants in the state. He was earlier rumored to be among the the militants.

Locals said "he escaped from the hideout in Arwani which lies close to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's ancestral Bijbehara town."

But security officials neither confirmed nor denied if he was among the militants trapped since Wednesday night.

Police said, "security forces surrounded the village late on Wednesday following a tip off about the presence of militants inside the hideout."

"As security forces tightened the cordon, some gunshots were heard. But after that there was no exchange of fire," the officer said.

He said "the gunfight intensified in the morning after militants started firing at the security forces.Mobile phone and internet services were suspended in south Kashmir Anantnag district as the gunfight raged."

The authorities did not formally confirm whether the mobile phone operations were really suspended or not. They told IANS "the action had been taken to check the spread of rumours in the area."

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BY M. DIVYA SRI