KATHUA — Two militants and a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed during an encounter in the Kootah area of Kathua district.
The police and paramilitary forces had launched a search operation in the Kootah area to track the militants who had escaped after the death of their accomplice. During the combing operation, the militants, who were hiding in the forest area, opened fire at the search party, killing a CRPF personnel, police sources said.
The slain trooper has been identified as Constable Kabir Dass, affiliated with 121 Battalion.
On Tuesday night, a militant was killed shortly after the militant action. On Wednesday, another militant was neutralized by joint forces, taking the toll to three.
Meanwhile, combing operations are underway to track down the militants in Kathua.
ADGP Jammu Anand Jain called the Kathua attack a “fresh infiltration” and said, “It is our hostile neighbour (Pakistan) who always tries to damage the peaceful environment in our country. This (Hiranagar incident) appears to be a fresh infiltration,” he said.
Security forces recover large cache of arms, ammunition
Security forces on Wednesday recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition from the encounter site in Kathua area of Jammu.
The arms and ammunition recovered include three magazines containing 30 rounds, a magazine containing 24 rounds, 75 rounds in a separate polythene bag, and three live grenades.
The recovery also includes currency notes of Rs 500 denomination worth 1 lakh, eatables including Pakistan-made chocolates, dry Channa and stale chapatis, Pakistan-made medicines and pain killer injections, two packs of A4 battery cells, one handset having antenna and two wires hanging from the handset, an official was quoted by the news agency KNS as having said.
DIG, SSP escape unhurt in militant attack on their cavalcade
The DIG Jammu and Kashmir Police and Senior Superintendent of Police Kathua on Wednesday escaped unhurt after a militant fired a barrage of bullets on their vehicles amid the ongoing anti-militant operation in Hiranagar, officials said.
Officials quoted by the news agency KNS said that the cavalcade of these two high-ranking police officers came under attack after a hiding militant fired over two dozen rounds.
The official added that some of the bullets hit the vehicles, however, no harm was caused to any of the officers or any of the escort personnel.