Army jawan martyred in encounter in J&K's Kupwara; three LeT militants killed

Security forces launched a search operation at Magam in the Handwara area of Kupwara district on Tuesday.

Representational image

Srinagar: A soldier was martyred on Tuesday in two gunfights in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district.

Three Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba militants were also killed.

Security forces launched a search operation at Magam in the Handwara area of Kupwara district in north Kashmir following information about the presence of militants there, a police official said.

He said the militants were asked to surrender but they opened fire on security forces.

The troops retaliated and in the exchange of fire, which lasted over an hour, three Pakistani militants of the LeT were killed, the official said, as per PTI.

Update #OpWuchar (Handwara). #One more terrorist killed. Total three #LeT terrorists killed in joint Ops. Operations in progress @adgpi @SpokespersonMoD @PIB_India @JmuKmrPolice @crpfindia — NorthernComd.IA (@NorthernComd_IA) November 21, 2017

Later in the afternoon, another encounter broke out between militants and security forces at Zirhama in the Trehgam area of the district.

The police, CRPF and Army strengthened the cordon and tried to flush out the militants.

The ultras opened fire, killing a soldier and injuring two other jawans, an Army official said. 

(With PTI inputs)