Indian troops on Monday shot dead two suspected Islamist militants during an ongoing battle in Indian-held Kashmir, while a policeman died in a separate attack, the army said. "Our troops have shot dead two militants in the Arin village," army spokesman Vijay Batra said. Arin is part of northern Bandipora district and is considered a hotbed of Islamist insurgency. "The fighting is continuing," Batra said, adding that the gunbattle erupted after troops raided a militant hideout. The identity of the killed militants was not immediately known. Jammu and Kashmir army chief, General SS Dhillon, last week said that Indian troops were conducting operations in Bandipora after having received reports that militants had increased their presence in the mountainous district.