Srinagar, Oct 12 (IANS): A gunfight has started between terrorists and security forces in the Feeripora area of South Kashmir's Shopian district on Tuesday, officials said.

"Encounter has started at Feeripora area of Shopian. Police and Security Forces are on the job," police said.

The gunfight took place after a joint team of the police and the Army cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about the presence of terrorists. As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where the terrorists were hiding they came under a heavy volume of fire that triggered the encounter.

This is the second gunfight in Shopian in less than 24 hours.

Earlier on Tuesday, three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists were killed in an encounter between the terrorists and security forces at Tulran Imamsahab area in Shopian.

The terrorist responsible for the killing of a street hawker Virendra Paswan of Bihar was among the three LeT men gunned down.