SRINAGAR: An unidentified terrorist was killed and a soldier injured in an encounter in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, officials here said.

Security forces launched a search operation in the Gudar forest area of Kulgam following information about the presence of terrorists there, the officials said.

They said the search operation turned into an encounter after the terrorists opened fire at the security forces' positions.

"Based on specific intelligence input by JKP, joint search operation was launched by #IndianArmy, @JmuKmrPolice & @crpf_srinagar in Guddar forest of #Kulgam," the Army's Srinagar-based Chinar Corps said in a post on X.

It said vigilant troops observed suspicious activity and upon being challenged, terrorists opened fire, "prompting a fierce exchange of gunfire during which one terrorist has been eliminated and a junior commissioned officer suffered injuries".

The operation is in progress, the Chinar Corps said.