Encounter breaks out in Bandipora

An encounter broke out between militants and security forces in Bandipora district of north Kashmir this morning, army said.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of militants in Aragam village of Bandipora, security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation, an army official said.

He said as the forces were conducting the search operation, the hiding militants fired upon them, triggering an encounter.

Firing was going on at the encounter site when last reports came in, the official said, adding more detailsabout the operation were awaited.