The police, army and Central Reserve Police Force launched a search early Saturday after receiving specific information about the presence of militants in Jamia Mohalla in Amargarh area of Sopore district, local police chief Harmeet Singh said.
"The militants opened fire from where they were hiding on the joint search party, triggering an encounter which ended at dawn," Singh said.
Three militants, suspected to belong to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, were killed, Singh added. "Their identities are being ascertained.
Three AK-74 rifles and magazines were recovered from the site.
The Indian army has stepped up anti-insurgency operations in India-administered Kashmir in recent months, killing more than 60 suspected militants since May, according to data collated by the South Asia Terrorism Portal.
The disputed Kashmir region is divided into two parts: one administered by India and the other by Pakistan.
India-administered Kashmir has seen a violent secessionist movement since the mid-1980s, leaving more than 44,000 militants, security forces personnel and civilians dead.
India claims Pakistan supports and encourages the rebels and separatist leaders, but Islamabad denies the charge and calls them freedom fighters.
A Kashmiri woman lies on the ground after fainting fainted during the funeral procession of slain militant Yawar Nissar at Shipora in Anantnag, South of Srinagar, on August 4
At least three suspected militants were killed by Indian security forces in a fierce gun battle in Indian-administered Kashmir, defence officials said Saturday.
