Srinagar, May 15 -- Security forces shot dead three local Jaish-e-Mohammad militants in an encounter in Awantipora sub-district of south Kashmir on Thursday, police said.

They said the gun battle erupted in the early hours at Nader Tral during a cordon and a search operation, which was launched following an input about militant presence.

"Security forces got a specific input about the movement of three terrorists in the area. Accordingly, a cordon was laid and it led to an encounter in which three terrorists were killed," Inspector General of Police, Vidhi Kumar Birdi, told reporters near the site of the encounter.

Another senior police officer identified the trio as Asif Ahmed Sheikh, Amir Nabi, and Yawar Bhat- all residents of Pulwama...