Three terrorists were killed on Friday in an encounter that broke out after a group of militants opened fire at a police team at a toll plaza on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway.

According to the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the terrorist group is suspected to have infiltrated from along the International Border (IB)in Kathua district to execute an attack.

The terrorists were hiding in a truck and opened fire after the police team stopped the vehicle for random checking at the Bann toll plaza in Nagrota, around 28 kilometres from the Jammu city. The attack occurred at around 5 am today.

As per Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh, the group of three-four terrorists was en route to Srinagar when thepolice team intercepted the truck at the Bann toll plaza.

One of the terrorists was killed in the ensuing gunfight.However, the remaining terrorists managed to flee to the adjacent forest area,said Singh. The policeman, who received injuries, has been hospitalised.

"It is suspected that they infiltrated from Hiranagarborder (of Kathua district)," he added. In the wake of the incident, theJammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed. Also, the entire forest belt wascordoned off. A fierce gunbattle was witnessed thereafter, leading to thekilling of two more terrorists. The terrorists had reportedly lobbed grenades.

The DGP said that one more terrorist is probably in thetrap. He added that the security forces have found four weapons and a largequantity of ammunition and explosives.

The DGP added that the terrorists might be foreigners.

Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu Zone,Mukesh Singh, told the media that the truck was intercepted at the toll post at5 am by a joint team of police and CRPF. Firing began from the truck, whichinjured a policeman.

In retaliation, police and CRPF jawans killed a terrorist.Headded that the truck driver, Maqbool, who is an overground worker, has beentaken into custody and is being grilled. The truck in which the terrorists weretravelling was carrying polyvinyl and a cavity was created inside the sacks ofthe consignment to hide the infiltrators. The terrorists were battle-ready withbullet-proof jackets on their person.

All schools and colleges in Udhampur district have beeninstructed to remain closed as a precautionary measure.

It may be recalled that immediately after the surgicalstrike post-Uri attack, JeM terrorists - dressed as policemen - had attacked anArmy base in Nagrota, J&K, on November 29, 2016. The selfless sacrifice of2 officers and 5 jawans saved the lives of almost 300 civilians that day.

NIA investigations had found later that a local JeMoperative working as a timber dealer in Chillipura in the Shopian district,along with other Valley-based operatives, was in touch with the JeM leadership(Masood Azhar the terrorist leader) in Pakistan and had received (helpedsmuggle in) a freshly infiltrated group of three Pakistani terrorists a daybefore the attack.