India, June 26 -- In a significant success for security forces, one terrorist belonging to the Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit has been neutralised in an ongoing encounter in the dense Kuru forest area of Basantgarh in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district.

According to top sources, the joint operation was launched late last night following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of four heavily armed JeM terrorists in the area. Indian Army special forces, already deployed in the region as part of ongoing counter-terror operations, quickly launched a massive cordon and search mission.

As the forces intensified their search, a fierce gun battle erupted with the terrorists. In the exchange of fire that lasted for sev...