An official spokesman said the militants attacked the Chana Mohalla Chatabal Army camp in the downtown with automatic weapons.

He said the subedar died on the spot while the contractor, Mohammad Rafiq Badoo, was wounded. The militants managed to escape, he added.

This was the first such attack on an Army camp in the city after the conclusion of the Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, four militants and an Army jawan were killed and three jawans injured in two encounters in Kashmir valley last night, a police spokesman said today.

Two militants of Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba outfit were killed by an Army patrol at Nihalpora in the Pattan area in Baramulla district, he said.

A patrol party of 29 Rashtriya Rifles signalled a Maruti car to stop for checking last night. The militants travelling in it came out and opened fire on the troops killing a jawan and wounding three others, the spokesman said.

The troops returned fire and in the ensuing gunbattle, two militants were killed, he said.

Two AK assault rifles, five magazines and some ammunition were recovered from the dead ultras. In another encounter, Rashtriya Rifles troops killed two militants at Kotimarg in the Kulgam area in Anantnag district of south Kashmir last night, the spokesman said.

One of the dead militants was identified as Abdul Hami Sangiyal, a resident of Udhampur district of the Jammu region, he said, adding that the militants were affiliated with Al-Madina Regiment.

Two more militants — Mohammad Yasin Tantray and Abu Issa, a foreigner— were killed in another encounter at Arihal Pulwama last night. One AK rifle, one pistol and 10 grenades were recovered from them.

Militants entered the house of National Conference leader Panch Ahad Joo at Bair Fazalabad and shot him dead late last night while another woman was shot at and wounded at Bani in Kathua district last night.

Security forces defused a powerful improvised explosive device planted by militants on a road in south Kashmir last night, sources added.