Jammu & Kashmir: One cop has been injured in the attack. | Photo Credit: Times Now

Kupwara: An encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces in Handwara's Shartgund Bala today early morning in which two terrorists were killed by the security forces. According to sources, Mannan Wani, a former student of Aligarh Muslim University and top Hizbul Mujahideen commander was trapped.

As per reports, the two terrorists that were killed earlier were identified as Manan Bashir Wani, a resident of Tiki Pora, Sogam, Kupwara & Ashiq Hussain Zargar, a resident of Tulwari in Langate. It has been ascertained that both the terrorists that were killed in the encounter were affiliated to the banned terror group, Hizbul Mujahideen.

Meanwhile, internet services have been suspended in the area and educational institutes have been closed. At around 2:30 am the cops launched a cordon and search operation after receiving intelligence input that terrorists were hiding in Qalamabad area.

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After that, a joint team of army and SOG of the Jammu and Kashmir Police cordoned off the area and started their search operation.

According to local media reports, security forces fired speculative shots during the search operation.

The security has been tight in all the sensitive areas due to local body polls. Jammu and Kashmir witnessed polling for the second phase of urban local body polls yesterday. While Jammu recorded impressive turnout, voting was low in the valley.

Earlier, terrorists had killed two National Conference workers and threatened others against participating in the polls.

Mannan was pursuing his Ph.D. in applied geology at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).

He had gone missing in the first week of January and was later identified by the police after his photograph surfaced on social media platforms which indicated that he had joined the terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen.