5 militants gunned down, IAF Garud commando killed in encounter in J-K's Bandipora

Security forces cordoned off and launched a search operation in Chandergeer village in Hajin area of the district after receiving specific intelligence input about the presence of militants in the area, a police official said.

The search operation resulted in an encounter when the militants hiding there fired on the search party of the security forces, who retaliated.

"Five terrorists have been killed in an ongoing encounter at Hajin," Srinagar-based Defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said here.

An IAF Garud commando was killed and an Army soldier was also injured in the encounter, he said.

The Garud Commando Force is the special forces unit of the IAF.

The operation was on and further details were awaited, Kalia said.