A woman held hostage by four Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants in Jammu and Kashmir was rescued on Friday, police said.
A gunfight has now started between the security forces and the militants, they said.
"The exchange of gunfire between the holed up terrorists and the security forces has now started in the area," Lt. colonel J.S. Brar, spokesman of the army's 15th corps said here.
The guerrillas held the woman hostage Friday in her house in Maidanpora village of Kupwara district in north Kashmir, 84 km from here.
"The hostaged woman was rescued by the security forces in a daring operation. The operation against the terrorists had to be delayed in order to rescue the woman," said Brar.
Troops of 18 Rashtriya Rifles and special operations group of the local police had surrounded the house.
A top LeT commander is believed to be one among these four militants, a police officer said.