SRINAGAR: Four terrorists were killed on Monday in the second encounter in Jammu and Kashmir in the past 24 hours, police said. The second encounter took place in the Shopian district.

According to police reports, security forces who received information about the presence of terrorists in the Pinjora area of Shopian district, had launched a cordon and search operation there.

While the security forces were carrying out the search operation, the terrorists opened fire on the searching personnel when the latter were approaching their hideout.

An encounter ensued soon with both sides exchanging fire for some time. At the end of the exchange of fire, our terrorists found killed.

Police did not reveal the identity of the deceased terrorists, as part of a new policy. Significantly, this is the seond encounter in the same Shopian district in the last 24 hours. Five Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists, including the outfit's top commander, were killed in a similar exchange of fire in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday.

Out of the five terrorists killed by Indian troops on Sunday, one was outfit's top commander. All those five terrorists were killed in operation Reban at Reban village Kashmir's Shopian, said defence spokesperson, Col Rajesh Kalia. The encounter was started between terrorists and joint forces of 178 battalions of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and it went on for several hours before the security forces killed five of the terrorists.

Security forces started search operation around the village after they got information from the intelligence department over the terrorist presence in the area. The terrorists opened fire on security persons who were approaching them, which triggered the encounter.