Srinagar, Jun 23 (IANS): The terrorist killed in south Kashmir's Shopian district in an encounter between militants and security forces on Wednesday had refused to surrender, officials said.

Based on a specific input regarding the presence of terrorists in the orchards of the Shirmal area in Shopian, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by the police, the army and the CRPF, the police said.

"During the operation, the terrorists were given an opportunity to surrender, but they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter," the police said.

The police said that in the ensuing encounter, one terrorist was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of encounter.

The slain terrorist has been identified as Sajad Ahmad Bhat, son of Ghulam Qadir Bhat, a resident of Badigam Aishmuqam Anantnag. He was linked to the proscribed terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen.

The police said that as per their records, the slain terrorist was active since 2020 and was involved in several terror crime cases.

Arms and ammunition, including one pistol with magazine, one grenade and other incriminating materials were recovered from the encounter site.

"All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe Bhat's complicity in other terror crimes. During the search operation, one terrorist hideout was also destroyed," the police said.