Two fidayeen militants are holed up in a school in South Kashmir's Pulwama district after they failed in their bid to storm a heavily guarded brigade headquarters of the army at Khrew village.

Police said the two militants hurled grenades and fired indiscriminately at the guards manning the entrance to the brigade headquarters, who retaliated.

Facing stiff resistance the militants entered a nearby government school, which was in session. After about half an hour, the security forces managed to evacuate all 173 students and staff members trapped in the school

Senior officials who rushed to the spot said heavy exchange of fire was going on between the militants and the security forces who have laid a cordon around the school.