GROZNY, February 12 (RIA Novosti) - A militant was killed in a search operation in the Republic of Chechnya in Russia's North Caucasus, the local law-enforcement bodies said Sunday.

On February 11, at about 06:00 a.m. Moscow time (03:00 a.m. GMT), police found and blocked a militant in a dugout in Chechnya's Itum-Kala district. The militant put up armed resistance. By retaliatory fire, the militant was killed. Work is underway to identify the gunman. The police seized two Kalashnikov assault rifles, a large amount of ammunition and three self-made explosive devices.

The police have also detained three members of militant gangs in the past twenty-four hours in Chechnya, the law-enforcement bodies said.