The encounter took place in Wacchi area of Shopian district this morning. (ANI)

Three Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists, including a police deserter, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, police said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Wacchi area of Shopian district following information about presence of terrorists there, a police official said.

He said the terrorists were asked to surrender but they opened fire towards security forces' positions. "In the ensuing encounter, three terrorists of Hizbul Mujahideen were killed," the official said.

One of the terrorists was identified as Adil Ahmad, a special police officer who had deserted the force in 2018 and decamped with seven AK assault rifles from the official residence of then MLA Wacchi Aijaz Ahmad Mir from Jawahar Nagar area of the city, the official said.

The identification of the other two terrorists is being ascertained, he added.