Srinagar, January 22: One militant was killed in an encounter which erupted between security personnel and insurgents in Awantipora town of Jammu & Kashmir's Pulwama district. The gunfight in South Kashmir was reported a day after the militants gunned down an Indian Army jawan and a Special Police Officer (SPO) of J&K police during a counter-insurgency operation. Three Militants Killed in Encounter With Security Forces in Shopian, Arms and Ammunition Seized.

"One terrorist has been neutralised. The operation is currently underway," said the Kashmir Zone Police, hours after a group of security personnel comprising of the armed forces personnel and J&K Police's Special Operations Group cracked down at a militant hideout in Awantipora.

Update by ANI

A day earlier, the gunfight in which the Army jawan and SPO were killed was reported in Khrew region of Pulwama. On Monday, the security forces had raided a militant hideout in neighbouring Shopian district, where three members of the Hizbul Mujahideen were killed.

Following the encounter in Shopian, Jammu & Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh claimed that the Hizbul is on the verge of "complete wipeout" from the Valley. The insurgent outfit, headed by PoK-based Syed Salahuddin, comprises largely of local disgruntled youth who have been drawn to radicalism. The two other major militant outfits operating in Kashmir - Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed - comprises mostly of cross-border militants who infiltrate into J&K through the porous borders.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 22, 2020 03:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).