Jammu and Kashmir: 2 Terrorists Killed; CRPF Jawan Dead In Kathua

In Jammu and Kashmir, a terrorist holed up in a border village in Kathua district was killed by security forces after a prolonged encounter lasting over 15 hours. The operation, which also resulted in the death of the terrorist's accomplice and a CRPF jawan, began on Tuesday night in Saida Sukhal village, officials reported. Despite bullets striking their vehicles, two senior officers escaped unhurt.

The operation began after two terrorists were spotted in Saida Sukhal village. Both terrorists have been neutralized since the commencement of the operation. Officials said both the slain terrorists are believed to be Pakistanis. A large quantity of arms, ammunition and over Rs 1 lakh in cash were seized from the encounter site, they said, adding the identity and group affiliation of the terrorists were being ascertained.

In a separate incident in the Doda district, five Rashtriya Rifles troopers and a special police officer (SPO) were injured when terrorists attacked a joint checkpost in the upper reaches of Chattergalla on the Bhaderwah-Pathankot road late Tuesday night. Traffic on the highway has been suspended as security forces launch an operation to track down the attackers.

These incidents come just days after terrorists targeted a bus carrying pilgrims from the Shiv Khori temple to Katra. The attack caused the bus to veer off the road and plunge into a deep gorge, killing nine people and injuring 41 others on Sunday evening.

In response to the bus attack, police have announced a Rs 20 lakh reward for information leading to the terrorists' capture and released a sketch of one of the suspects. Authorities attribute the increase in terror activities in the Jammu region to efforts by Pakistan to destabilize the area.

In Kathua's Saida Sukhal village, near the International Border, the second terrorist was killed on Wednesday noon following an intense gunfight. The joint security forces of the police, Army, and CRPF had cornered the terrorist, who attempted to escape by firing indiscriminately at around 3 a.m. CRPF jawan Kabir Dass, a resident of Madhya Pradesh, was critically injured in the exchange and later succumbed to his injuries in a hospital.

During the operation official vehicles of Deputy Inspector General of Police, Jammu-Samba-Kathua range, Sunil Gupta and Senior Superintendent of Police, Kathua, Anayat Ali Choudhary were hit by several bullets but the officers escaped unhurt. Additional Director General of Police (Jammu zone) Anand Jain, who supervised the operation, said, "Two terrorists, who appeared to have freshly infiltrated (from across the border), surfaced in the village around 8 pm on Tuesday and asked for water from a household. The people got frightened and as soon as they informed us, a police team rushed to the village." "One of the terrorists tried to hurl a grenade at the police team and was killed in the exchange of fire," he said.