Security forces killed three suspected militants in an encounter on Wednesday in Pulwama district’s Tral region in Jammu and Kashmir. The trio are believed to have been members of the Ansar Ghazwat ul-Hind, the al-Qaeda’s purported new cell in the state headed by former Hizbul Mujahideen commander Zakir Musa.

A fourth militant is believed to be hiding in the region, Inspector General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Munir Khan said, adding that they had recovered two AK-47 rifles and one pistol from the site of the Tral encounter.

The Indian Army’s 42 Rashtriya Rifles unit and the Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a search operation after hearing gunshots in the area around 12.45 pm, an unidentified police officer told the Greater Kashmir. Militants fired at the security forces during the operation.

Meanwhile, a teenager died of pellet injuries after clashes broke out between protestors and security forces near the encounter site in Tral’s Gulab Bagh area. Mohammad Younis, 16, was declared brought dead by SMHS hospital authorities, reported Rising Kashmir.