Four terrorists were killed in two separate encounters a day ahead of the Republic Day in Jammu and Kashmir [Images], where security has been beefed up.

In a joint search operation in the hilly Wagan village near Banihal in Jammu region, troops of 23 Rashtriya Rifles and police gunned down two militants of the Hizbul Mujaheedin outfit on Sunday afternoon.

The security forces had launched the search operation in the area on specific information this morning, which led to disruption of traffic on the Srinagar [Images] Jammu national highway.

In another encounter, security forces gunned down two militants of Lashkar-e-tayiba [Images] in the forest area of Shahnagri in north Kashmir Kupwara district on Saturday

The operation was launched in the forest area after a tip off about presence of militants, according to a police spokesman.

Authorities have beefed up security throughout summer capital Srinagar and other district headquarters of the valley, where Republic Day parades and celebrations are being observed tomorrow.

For the first time in past nearly 20 years, the level of tension was low in the valley in the run-up to the Republic Day, even though both the groups of separatist, All Parties Hurriyat Conference and the Muzaffarabad based militant conglomerate, United Jehad Council have called for a general strike tomorrow.

In the capital city authorities have made elaborate security arrangements by deploying police and paramilitary, central reserve police force in strength and made special security arrangements in and around the Bakshi stadium, the venue of the main function tomorrow.

The security forces have occupied high rise buildings around the stadium and deployed sharpshooters to secure the venue. The areas around the stadium have been sanitized by police and paramilitary forces.