Acting on specific information about the presence of militants in Sudal village of Magam in Handwara, police and army launched a joint cordon and search operation this morning, a police spokesman said.
As the search operation was going on, the militants fired upon the security forces triggering an encounter.
During the gunbattle, a LeT militant was killed, the spokesman said, adding the slain militant was later identified as Abu Ukasha Afghani - the divisional commander of the outfit.