J&K: 3 militants, 1 woman killed in encounter, search operation underway

Srinagar: Three militants and a woman were killed on Monday in an encounter with security forces in Handwara area of north Kashmir, police said.

Director General of Police (DGP) S P Vaid said the slain militants were apparently Pakistanis.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the early hours in Unisoo village of Handwara following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of militants in the area, a police official said.

He said the search operation turned into an encounter as the hiding militants fired upon the forces conducting the searches.

During the gunfight, three militants were killed, the official said adding the slain militants were most probably affiliated with the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).

He said their bodies along with three weapons have been recovered from the encounter site.

One woman was also killed in the exchange of fire, the official said.

Vaid said on Twitter, "In unisoo Handwara all the three terrorists apparently Pakistanis have been neutralised by Joint team of J&K Police, RR & CRPF. It has been raining whole night & boys were out there in the cold".

The search operation is still underway.