A top Jaish commander was killed in an encounter between security forces and terrorists in Boniyar area of Baramulla District in North Kashmir on Saturday.

Gunfight broke out between terrorists and security forces in Bujthalan area of Boniyar near Line of Control on Saturday morning after Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, J&K Police and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in the area.

The terrorist, who has been indentified as Lukman, was killed in the gunfight. Lukman was a known commander of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed.

The sources in Police told India Today TV that Lukman had infiltrated from across LoC in 2017 and was close associate of Khalid, another Pakistani Jaish commander who was killed last month in Pulwama.

They said Lukman was operating in South Kashmir and had moved to North Kashmir for receiving a fresh infiltrating group of Jaish terrorists from across the LoC.

The sources further said that Lukman's movement were being tracked and he was neutralised, but his associate managed to escape from encounter site because of densly forested area.

Search operation in the area is still on.

During last one month, Jaish e Mohammed has once again started reviving its base in Kashmir after it suffered a major set back. Security forces have killed more than 30 of its terrorists, including some top commanders in Valley, after it carried February 14 Fidayeen attack on CRPF Convoy on Srinagar Jammu Highway, in which 42 CRPF personal were killed.