Security forces on Thursday afternoon gunned down the self-styled district commander of the frontline Jamiatul Mujahideen in an encounter at Surnar Handwara village in the northern Kupwara district.

The police said security forces and state police, who had mounted search operation in the village, and came under fire from the hiding militant.

They returned the fire in which the militants, Bilal Ahmed, was killed.

The police described the killing as a major success. In another incident security forces shot dead two militants in the old town of Baramulla on Wednesday night.