He said the firefight erupted close to the Line of Control (LoC) -- the ceasefire line dividing the disputed state -- in the Tulail sector of northwestern Baramulla district late Sunday.

Some arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants.

Meanwhile, five security force personnel and three civilians were injured overnight in a grenade explosion in downtown Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-administered Kashmir, a police spokesman said.

Muslim militants have raised the level of violence ahead of the second phase voting to the state legislature on Tuesday.

The first of the four rounds of voting took place on September 16, with authorities recording a voter turnout of 47 percent.

Militants have threatened to kill those taking part in the elections, while Kashmir's main separatist alliance has called for a boycott and a general strike.

str/bp/th

Nampa-AFP WEB story ENDS (NAMPA 230443)

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