A Hizbul Mujahideen militant was killed yesterday in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, the police said. Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Babgund area of the south Kashmir district during the night after inputs of the presence of militants in the area, an officer said.

He added that the search operation turned into an encounter after the militant fired on the forces, who then retaliated. In the ensuing gunfight, the militant was killed in the morning, the officer confirmed.