This is the second successful operation against the terror outfit within three days. (File)

Highlights Encounter began last evening in Kakapora area of Pulwama

Terrorists were holed up in a house in a densely populated area

Lashkar recently lost its commander Junaid Mattoo in an encounter

Security forces killed three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists today in an encounter in Pulwama district located in Southern Kashmir. An Army officer was also injured during the six-hour operation.The encounter started on Wednesday evening in Kakapora area of Pulwama. There were intelligence inputs that three local men, who had joined the banned terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, were holed up inside a house in a densely populated locality.The three terrorists were identified as Majid Mir, Shriq Ahmad and Irshad, Ahmad. One of them, Majid Dar, was involved in a number of killings including that of sarpanch of Kakapora and district president of Pulwama. Searches are on in the area but the firing has ended, a spokesperson of the state police was quoted as saying by news agency IANS .While the encounter in Pulwama was on, two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists were killed in Sopore township of Baramulla district in north Kashmir. Two AK rifles, five magazines, 124 rounds, a hand grenade and a pouch had been found at the encounter site, a police official said.The encounter in Pulwama is the first successful counter-insurgency operation in the area, which is believed to have large presence of local terrorists aided with a strong-network of over-ground workers, he said.

It is also a big blow to the Lashkar, which lost one of its key leaders, Junaid Mattoo, on June 17. Mattoo was killed in an encounter at Arwin village in Anantnag, South Kashmir. The terrorist had been involved in several attacks on security forces in south Kashmir. Two others were killed in a joint operation by security forces.This is the second successful operation against the terror outfit within three days.