Srinagar, February 02: One militant was been killed in an  encounter at Nadigam area of South Kashmir’s Shopian district on Wednesday, police said.

Joint forces comprising men from 34 and 44 Rashtriya Rifles, 14 Battalion CRPF and SOG of Jammu and Kashmir Police cordoned off Nowpora Nadigam hamlet after receiving inputs about the presence of militants.

The cordon and search operation turned into an encounter when militants fired upon the search party.

During the exchange of fire, an unidentified militant was killed, police said.

Police have identified the slain militant as Umar Ishfaq Malik, a resident of Bongam Shopian. He was affiliated with the banned militant outfit Hizbul Mujhadeen.

Police sources said that Malik had joined the militant outfit in November last year.

One AK-47 assault rifle, 4 magazines, and a hand grenade have been recovered from the spot of encounter