Srinagar, April. 29 (PTI): Four militants belonging to the Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit were killed during a gunbattle in Kupwara district today.

The encounter took place at Maganwari village in Kandi belt of the district during a search operation jointly carried out by the police and Rashtriya Rifles, Senior Superintendent of Police, Kupwara, Vijay Kumar said.

Kumar, who was leading the operation alongwith senior officers of 47 Rashtriya Rifles, said the search was launched this morning following specific information about the presence of militants in the area.

The militants were asked to surrender but they opened fire and in the ensuing gunbattle lasting several hours, four militants were killed, he said, adding a huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from their possession.

The identity of the militants was being ascertained, he said.

However, the documents recovered from them revealed their affiliation with the LeT outfit, he said.

The operation in the area was still continuing, he said.