The encounter took place in a forest in Tral near Awantipura

A policeman, an army Jawan and four militants died in an encounter with militants in south Kashmir on Tuesday, said officials.

“Four terrorists of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) have been killed in the encounter in Tral,” said deputy inspector general of police, south Kashmir range, Amit Kumar.

The identities of the slain militants were being ascertained at the time of filing this report.

Police personnel Latif Gojri, a ‘follower’ in the force and resident of Tral, and army soldier Ajay Kumar were killed during the gun-battle.

Police, 42 Rashtriya Rifles of the Indian Army and the 180 Battalion of the CRPF jointly carried out the operation in the Gatengo Laam forest area of Tral, the hometown of slain Hizbul Mujahedeen commander Burhan Wani whose killing had triggered the summer unrest of 2016 that left around 100 people dead.

“After receiving credible inputs about the presence of militants in the area, searches were initiated and during searches, the holed up militants fired heavily upon the party. Security Forces in their guarded response fired back leading to an encounter with the militants,” a police spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition, were recovered from the spot.

On April 1, as many as 13 militants, four civilians and three soldiers were killed and more than 70 protesters injured in three separate gunfights in south Kashmir.

On April 11, four civilians and a soldier were killed in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district even as two militants escaped as protesters threw stones at security personnel.