Security forces on Wednesday killed a suspected militant in Tral town in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The police identified the militant as Shabir Malik and said he was arrested previously in Jammu for “making preparations for terror attacks in 2015”. They said arms and ammunition were also recovered after the operation. The police said Malik was affiliated to Ansar Ghazwatul Hind, which was formed by Zakir Musa. Earlier, he was a part of Lashkar-e-Toiba.

A police spokesperson told PTI that security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the Branpatri forest area of Tral, following a tip-off about the presence of militants in the area. The militants opened fire on the police personnel, who retaliated. “One militant was killed in the gun battle while there were no casualties among the security forces,” the spokesperson said.

“Citizens are requested not to visit any encounter site till the site is sanitized by the bomb disposal team,” police tweeted. “The site may contain IEDs, unexploded grenades, live ammunition and other inflammable items which could be fatal.”

Four suspected militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Shopian district in Jammu and Kashmir on June 23. A suspected militant was killed in a gunfight with security forces in Bonyar area of Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir on June 22.

On June 18, the Indian Army said that two militants killed in a gunfight in Anantnag district were affiliated to the Jaish-e-Mohammed, and were part of the February 14 suicide attack in Pulwama.