Protesters from north Kashmir's Kreeri village mobbed a police station in Baramulla district, 45 km from Srinagar, on Thursday after five persons -- three militants and two villagers -- were killed in an encounter with the security forces on Wednesday night.

The protesters were alleging that the two villagers killed were in police custody till Wednesday afternoon and were brought to the spot under police guard. They said one of them was a teacher.

The police has denied the charge.

A senior police officer said the security forces laid siege to a house in Kreeri village late Wednesday night acting on specific information about a group of militants hiding in there.

In the ensuing exchange of fire three militants and two villagers were killed.

An army major was injured in the encounter and was air-lifted to the base hospital in Srinagar.

The protesting villagers alleged that the two locals -- Ashaq Ahmed Malik and Abdul Rashid Mir -- were forced by the securitymen to accompany them to the encounter site.