5 militants killed in India's Jammu and Kashmir

Five militants belonging to terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) were killed in an encounter with Indian security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir state today, an army official said.

The army official said weapons and war-like arms stores have been recovered from the encounter site, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

The encounter between the militants and security forces broke out this morning after the security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in the area following intelligence inputs about the presence of militants there.

While the forces were conducting the searches, the militants opened fire at the forces, triggering a gun battle, reports the correspondent.

A police official said the militants belonged to two outfits of LeT and HM and their killing was a huge success for the forces.

He said most of the slain militants were "involved in a series of terror acts including killing of two bank employees and many policemen.

"They were also involved in bank robberies and weapon looting," the police official said.

Meanwhile, clashes broke out near the site of the encounter as groups of youths started pelting stones on the security forces, the official said adding a few youths have been injured in the forces' action on the protesters.