Jammu and Kashmir encounter
Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir [Representational Image]IANS

At least two terrorists were killed in an encounter between security forces and terrorists in the Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday.

The encounter broke out in the Waripora area of the district's Handwara town. A joint team of the state police and the Indian Army's 21 Rashtriya Rifles had launched a search operation in the area after receiving inputs about the presence of terrorists there.

The terrorists, who were hiding in an orchard, opened fire at the security forces while they were carrying out the search operation. "As the forces approached the suspected site, the hiding militants opened fire, triggering an encounter," an official told Greater Kashmir. Two terrorists were killed in retaliatory firing by the forces.

An army officer told PTI that two weapons were retrieved from the site of the encounter and that the security forces were still trying to ascertain their identity and the terror outfit they belonged to.

Security forces have cordoned off the area and also launched a search operation to look for terrorists, if any, hiding in the area. The officer added that the gunfight between both sides was over.

Superintendent of Police Handwara Ghulam Jeelani was quoted by the Hindustan Times as saying that "both the militants are foreigners. We are trying to ascertain their identity. Since Lashkar-e-Taiba is active in the region, we suspect the militants are from the same outfit."

He added that the forces fortunately cornered the terrorists just 100 metres away from the Waripora village. This prevented chances of any untoward incident happening among the villagers.

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