Militant killed in Bandipora encounter

A militant was killed today in an encounter with security forces in Bandipora district of north Kashmir.

"One militant has been killed in the gunfight in Bandipora," an army official said. He said acting on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of militants in Aragam village of Bandipora, security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation.

As the forces were conducting the search operation, the hiding militants fired upon them, triggering an encounter in which, so far, one militant has been killed, the official said.

He said the security forces have also recovered a weapon from the site of the encounter.

"The operation is in progress and more details are awaited," he said, adding the identity and group affiliation of the slain militant is being ascertained.