Shopian encounter: The encounter in Kellar area started early this morning.

Three terrorists, belonging to terror outfits Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district in Jammu and Kashmir, police said. The encounter in Kellar area in the south Kashmir district started early this morning after a joint team of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Army and the Jammu and Kashmir police was attacked by terrorists during a search operation in the area.

"The slain terrorists have been identified as Sajad Khanday, Aqib Ahmad Dar and Basharat Ahmad Mir, all residents of Pulwama," news agency PTI quoted police spokesperson as saying.

The terrorists, police said, were involved in a series of terror crimes, including attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities.



Ahmad Mir had a long history of terror crime records and several terror crime cases were registered against him, the police official said. He was also involved in conspiring and executing many terror attacks in the area.

"Incriminating material, including three AK rifles, were recovered from the site of the encounter. All these material have been taken in the case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror cases," the spokesperson added.

Meanwhile, another encounter is taking place at Handwara in Kupwara district. The gunfight is taking place at Yaroo area in Handwara, informed Jammu and Kashmir police.

The entire area is under cordon, reported news agency ANI.

With inputs from agencies