After a brief exchange of fire in the wee hours of Saturday, the militants have managed to give a slip to government forces in Mitrigam village of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, officials said.

An official said that a joint team of Police, Army and CRPF had launched a Cordon and Search Operation on specific information about the presence of militants in the area on Saturday.

He said that as the joint team of forces approached the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them, triggering a gunfight.

He added that after the initial exchange of fire, no contact was established with the hiding militants.

The official said that cordon layers were tightened after the initial exchange of fire, however, militants managed to give a slip to forces and the search operation is still going on to trace the militants.