New Delhi - At least two suspected Islamic militants were killed Friday in a gunbattle with police in New Delhi, days after bombings in the city claimed 24 lives, media reports said.

The exchange of fire came as the militants were holed up inside a flat in the Jamia Nagar area in southern New Delhi.

The NDTV network reported that the slain militants belonged to the Bangladesh-based Harkat-ul-Jihad-e-Islami (HuJI).

Three other rebels and two police officers were also believed to be injured in the shootout near the Khalilullah mosque in the congested neighbourhood.

The report said the police were in the Muslim-dominated area to carry out searches in connection with the recent bombings when the militants fired on the police team.

Residents were evacuated and the buildings cordoned off as additional police teams were rushed to the scene.

At least 24 people were killed and 100 injured as five synchronized bombings ripped through markets and commercial areas in the city on September 13.

The Indian Mujahideen, a front for the banned Students Islamic Movement of India, and the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba claimed responsibility for the attack.

However the Delhi police also suspected the hand of the HuJI, which was believed to behind blasts in Delhi's neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh last year.

It was not clear whether the encounter took place on leads gathered on the weekend bombings because the police had yet to make an official comment on the incident. (dpa)