Srinagar: Three terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, a defence spokesman said. The security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Pinglish in the Tral area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district after receiving specific intelligence input about the presence of militants in the area.

The search operation turned into an encounter after the militants opened fire at the search party of the forces who retaliated.

The gunfight is going on, the spokesman said; adding the identity and group affiliation of the slain militants is being ascertained.

The encounter broke out a day after Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist from Pakistan was killed in an encounter with security forces in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.

Security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in the Kralgund area of Handwara in the north Kashmir district late Wednesday night following information about the presence of some terrorists in the area, a police official said.

He said the cordon was maintained during the night and contact was established with them in the morning after the forces zeroed in on the location.

There was an exchange of firing between the two sides, in which one terrorist was killed, the official said.