SRINAGAR, June 30: One militant has been killed in a fierce gunbattle between security forces and militants which broke out on Saturday morning in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, police said.

However, the identity of the slain militant is yet to be ascertained.

“On specific information, troops of 21 counter insurgency Rashtriya Rifles and state police surrounded the Bawan forest in Zachaldara (Handwara) area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district,” a police spokesperson said.

“As the surrounding troops tightened the cordon, they came under heavy automatic gunfire from the hiding militants, triggering a gunfight,” he said.

The combing operation was on till last reports came in.

It could not be verified whether the hiding guerrillas had recently infiltrated into the Valley from across the line of control (LOC) or had been part of an already existing group.