On a tip-off, army and police launched a joint cordon and search operation in Larad area of Mahore tehsil, 107 km from Udhampur, on Monday morning, police said.
Terrorists opened fire on security forces, who retaliated. In the subsequent encounter, the self-styled district commander of Hizbul Mujahideen identified as Altaf Hussein was killed.
The encounter was still going on.
Photograph: Mukesh Gupta/Reuters