SRINAGAR: Three Local militants of Lashkar-e-Taiba were killed in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Sunday.
A police official said acting on specific information about the presence of militants, a joint contingent of police, CRPF and army launched a search operation in the Drabgam area of Pulwama yesterday evening.
He said while the search operation was going on, militants hiding in the area fired on the troops.
The fire was returned by the troops and in the ensuing gunfight, which continued till early hours today, three Lashkar militants were killed.
According to IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar, all the three slain militants were locals and he identified them as Junaid Sheergojri, Fazil Nazir Bhat and Irfan Ah Malik.
He said one of the slain militants Junaid was involved in the killing of policeman Riyaz Ahmad on May 13 this year.
The IGP said two AK 47 rifles and a pistol were recovered from the encounter site.