Srinagar: Three militants were killed Friday and two security personnel injured in an encounter in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.
Security forces launched a cordon and search operation early Friday morning in Nagnad area of Kulgam district following information about the presence of militants there, a police official said. He said the search operation turned into an encounter when the hiding militants opened fire on the security forces who retaliated.
In the shootout three militants were killed and two security personnel sustained injuries. The injured security persons have been rushed to a hospital and are undergoing treatment at present. The condition of one is stated to be critical, the official said.
Top police sources said the three killed terrorists were from the proscribed terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). Among them was a top terrorist commander known to be an IED expert taking direct instructions from his Pakistani handlers.
Sources said, he was responsible for a large number of attacks, including many IED attempts against the security forces in the recent past. He had given the slip to the security forces during many encounters earlier and in one such incident had left behind an M4 American rifle.