A terrorist belonging to the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit was killed on Thursday in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district. Three of his associates, part of the same group, remain trapped in a remote forested area, officials confirmed.

The group of four terrorists had been under surveillance for a year, with security forces actively tracking their movements. They were confronted by a joint search party of the Indian Army and the Jammu & Kashmir Police in the morning, in the remote Bihali area of Basantgarh.

Following the initial contact, reinforcements were immediately dispatched to the location, and a massive search operation is currently underway despite challenging weather conditions.