A top commander and improvised explosive device (IED) expert was among the three terrorists of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit killed in an encounter on Friday morning in the Kulgam district of south Kashmir.
He was responsible for a large number of attacks on security forces, including an IED attack, in the recent past and was in direct touch with terror handlers in Pakistan from whom he used to take instructions for attacking security forces personnel.
Three soldiers were also injured in the encounter and were airlifted to the military hospital in Srinagar.
Police said that the joint operation against the terrorists was conducted by the 9 RR of the Army, CRPF and J&K Police following credible reports about their presence in the village Nagnad-Chimmer.
The terrorist commander killed in the operation had escaped from three to four previous encounters. While fleeing from an earlier encounter, he left behind his M-4 American rifle, police said.
Further details were awaited.