Jammu: A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Army was martyred in a gunfight with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Thursday, a Defence spokesperson said.

Security forces had launched a search operation in Thanamandi belt following inputs about the presence of terrorists there, a police official said.

The search operation turned into an encounter after the terrorists opened fire on the forces, who retaliated, the official said.

"One JCO of the Rashtriya Rifles had suffered bullet injuries in the encounter. The JCO was immediately evacuated to the nearest medical facility, but he succumbed to the injuries," said Defence Public Relations Officer (PRO), Jammu, Lt Col Devender Anand.

Rajouri SP Sheema Nabi Qasba said the encounter is going on. This is the second encounter in the area in August this year. One August 6, two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Thanamandi belt.