Encounter underway in J&K's Udhampur, police point to group of ‘3-4 terrorists’
In April this year, a village defence guard was killed in a gunfight with terrorists in the Dudu area of Basantgarh in J&K's Udhampur district
An encounter is underway between security forces and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district.
“After specfic input was gleaned regarding movement in the area, a SADO was launched in the wee hours today by our parties; contact has been established with a group of terrorists in Khaned area of PS Basantgarh. Ops underway,” Mohammed Rayees Bhat, deputy inspector general (DIG) Udhampur-Reasi, said.
“Operations launched on Tuesday morning and contact with terrorists established around 5 pm. We believe there are three to four terrorists,” he added.
In April this year, a village defence guard was killed in a gunfight with terrorists in the Dudu area of Basantgarh.
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On Sunday, security forces nabbed three terror associates in Anantnag, recovering arms and ammunition.
According to the statement, the terrorist associates were held during a naka-checking operation conducted by Anantnag police, in collaboration with 1 Rashtriya Rifle (RR) and 90 Battalion Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Hassanpura Tulkhan Road.
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"During the operation, security forces recovered a substantial cache of arms and ammunition from their possession, including One pistol, One pistol magazine, Eight pistol rounds, One grenade, and One Improvised Explosive Device (IED)," PTI quoted the statement as saying.
Terror spike in Jammu
The terror-related incidents have witnessed a spike amid the Union territory gearing up for assembly elections in September. J&K last held an assembly election way back in 2014. The Jammu region has been rattled with terror attacks including the one on a bus carrying pilgrims in Reasi on June 9.
The 53-seater bus, on its way from the Shiv Khori temple to Katra, veered off the road following the barrage of gunfire by terrorists and fell into a deep gorge near the Teryath village of the Poni area.
On August 3, the Jammu and Kashmir administration sacked six government employees, including five policemen, for their "deep involvement in anti-national activities", PTI quoted officials. J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha invoked Article 311(2)(c) of the Constitution to terminate them from service, they said.
(With agency inputs)