J&K: One Pakistani militant killed in Tral, curfew clamped as protesters gather near encounter site

A militant was killed in an encounter on Saturday between security forces and four to five top Hizbul Mujahideen militants who were holed up in a house in Tral on the city outskirts.

The Army launched the operation in Tral at around 6:30 pm on the basis of information of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Srinagar.

Officials sources said special forces of army were deployed to carry out a combing operation in the area. The gunfight broke out late in the evening after security forces cordoned off the house. The body of a Pakistani militant has been recovered and search is on for others, they said. 

Curfew has been clamped in this area, 10 km from here, as protesters had gathered near the encounter site. A CRPF jawan's rifle was snatched by them, they said. 

Half of the house was brought down by the security forces but militants were still firing on them.

Poster boy of banned Hizbul Mujahideen terror outfit Burhan Wani belonged to this area. According to Firstpost, Jammu and Kashmir, Director General of police, SP Vaid, confirmed the presence of Sabza​ Ahmad among the militants trapped. Ahmad had succeeded Burhan Wani as operational chief of the Hizbul Mujahideen in July 2016.

With ANI and PTI inputs.