Three Hizbul militants killed in Jammu encounter

Three top militants of the Hizbul Mujaheedin, including a divisional commander of the banned outfit, were killed in a fierce encounter in Mahore area of Reasi district in Jammu early on Wednesday morning.

Acting on a specific input about the presence of a group of militants in the Mahore forest area, the Army and the state police jointly launched a search operation to flush out the hiding militants, said a senior police official.

"As the troops were busy searching the area, hiding militants opened fire at the security forces, triggering a gun-battle. So far, three militants, including the divisional commander of Hizbul Mujaheedin, have been killed in this ongoing encounter," he said.

"The security forces are still searching the cordoned area," he added. Arms and ammunition have been recovered from the slain militants.