The body of another policeman was sighted using a drone on Friday near the site of an intense gunfight in the Safiyan area of Kathua district, bringing the death toll among security personnel to four. Three terrorists of the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) group were also killed in the ongoing operation, officials said.
Heavy firing and explosions continued for the second day as joint security forces, including the Army, CRPF, and J&K Police, resumed their operation at first light on Friday. Their focus was on retrieving the deceased, locating a missing policeman, and neutralizing any remaining threats. Two more terrorists are believed to be holed up in the area.
The gunfight erupted on Thursday when security forces intercepted a group of heavily armed terrorists suspected to have recently infiltrated from across the International Border in Hiranagar.
A police team led by a Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) came under heavy fire, resulting in three officers being killed and several personnel, including the SDPO, sustaining injuries.
The operation, supported by aerial surveillance and special forces, has seen reinforcements deployed to track down the remaining militants. Senior police officials, including DGP Nalin Prabhat and IGP Bhim Sen Tuti, have been overseeing the counter-terror operation on the ground.
The Army’s Rising Star Corps paid tribute to the fallen officers, lauding their bravery and sacrifice. The People’s Anti-Fascist Front, a proxy outfit of JeM, has claimed responsibility for the attack.(KNS)
