Two top commanders of the Hizbul Mujaheedin were killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir [Images] on Wednesday.

A senior police officer said troops of the 46 Rashtriya Rifles and police surrounded a house in the Khawaja Bagh locality of Baramulla town early Wedensday morning following information that two top HM terrorist commanders had been hiding inside.

"As security forces zeroed in on the house and challenged the militants to surrender, the latter started firing indiscriminately," a senior police officer said.

Reinforcements were been rushed to the spot, and the fierce gunfight that continued till afternoon. The bodies of the two militants identified as Tanveer Ahmed Zargar alias Tana Khan, district commander Hizbul Mujaheedin and Imtiyaz Khan alias Nayeem alias Ana another top militant of north Kashmir were recovered from the debris.

Four houses were damaged in the gunfight.Tension gripped the town following heavy firing.Most of the shops in the town were closed.

A police spokesman here said the militants were involved in a number of IED blasts and other incidents in Baramulla.