Two terrorists, CRPF man killed in separate encounters in J&K

Five army soldiers, two cops injured

Srinagar: Two unidentified terrorists and one paramilitary personnel were killed while five army soldiers and two policemen were injured in three separate encounters between security forces and ultras in Kathua and Doda districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.

The first gunfight erupted on Tuesday evening after terrorists opened fire in Saida Sukhal village in Kathua district's Hiranagar area near the International Border.

A civilian was injured in the initial attack by the terrorists and during a subsequent search operation by security forces, one ultra was killed while efforts were being made to flush out the other holed-up terrorists who are believed to have infiltrated from across the border.

The second terrorist was eliminated later on Wednesday. Two senior police officers, including a deputy inspector general (DIG) and a senior superintendent of police (SSP), who were supervising the anti-terror operation had a narrow escape after terrorists fired a barrage of bullets on their vehicles amid the anti-terror operation.

Additional Director General of Police, Jammu, Anand Jain said two terrorists who appeared to be freshly infiltrated surfaced in Saida Sukhal village around 8 pm on Tuesday and asked for water from a household.

“The people got frightened and as soon as information was received, a police team headed by a sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) and a Station House officer (SHO) rushed to the village. One of the terrorists tried to hurl a grenade and was killed in the exchange of fire,” he said.

Jain said that the body of the second terrorists killed in the encounter was recovered on Wednesday. AK assault rifles and several Pakistan-made items were found from the possession of slain terrorists, whose identity and group affiliation were being ascertained.

Officials said the terrorists had ₹500 notes worth ₹1 lakh besides Pakistan-made chocolates, dry chana and stale chapatis. The terrorists, who killed a CRPF soldier during the encounter, also had Pakistan-made medicines and pain-killer injections.

In a separate incident, terrorists attacked an Army and police joint check post in hilly Doda district late on Tuesday night, injuring five army soldiers and a special police officer (SPO).

A local terror group with backing from Pak-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, ‘Kashmir Tigers’, has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack, saying several Indian security personnel were killed in the attack.

A fresh encounter broke out in the Gandoh area of Doda district at around 7:45 pm, leaving a policeman injured. A fierce exchange of fire between the two sides was going on when the last reports were received. Reinforcements have been rushed to the area to strengthen the cordon, officials said.

It was the fourth such attack within three days after the incidents in Kathua and Reasi. Jammu has been high on the terror radar with many of these attacks being reported from areas known to be free of terrorism not long ago.

On June 9, terrorists opened fire on a bus traveling from the Shiv Khori temple to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra. The attack caused the driver to lose control, leading the bus to plunge into a gorge near the Teryath village in the Poni area of Reasi. At least nine people were killed, and 33 were injured in the attack.