A top commander of the Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) outfit was killed in a gunfight with the security forces in south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Tuesday.

The police said the militant killed in Samboora village was identified. "The slain militant is Moor Muhammad Tantray alias Noor Trali, commander of JeM outfit. He belonged to the Tral area."

Tantray was responsible for the militant attack on the Border Security Force's (BSF) camp near Srinagar airport in October, a police officer said.

Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir police chief S.P.Vaid said the encounter had started between the security forces and holed up militants in Samboora after the area was surrounded by the forces late on Monday evening.

"There was information that two to three militants are hiding in the area," the police chief said.