Srinagar, Apr 15: Reinforcements were rushed to the dense forests of Lasana in Poonch district after a fierce exchange of fire between security forces and heavily armed terrorists continued till Tuesday night.
The encounter occurred during a joint operation conducted by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police in the Surankote area.
The Army’s White Knight Corps confirmed the operation on social media platform X said that “Op Lasana. Contact was established with #terrorists during a joint #operation with @JmuKmrPolice at Lasana, Surankote last night. Additional troops have been inducted, and search operations are ongoing to prevent the terrorists from escaping,” he said.
Security sources said the terrorists opened fire after being cornered in the forested terrain. The forces immediately retaliated, triggering a prolonged gunfight.
A senior police officer said that entire area has been cordoned off, and aerial surveillance is being used to track any movement amid concerns the terrorists might attempt to escape under the forest cover.
“The terrorists seem to have recently infiltrated the region and were possibly planning an attack. We have heightened, with intensified combing operations in border and forested areas of Poonch, Rajouri, and Reasi,” he said.
The official said that forces are fully alert and committed to maintaining peace in the region. The terrorists will not be allowed to disrupt peace here. We are pursuing every lead, and additional reinforcements have sealed off all possible escape routes,” he said.
“This is the second major operation in the region this month. Just last week, security forces eliminated three foreign terrorists in Chatroo, Kishtwar district. A cache of sophisticated arms and ammunition was recovered from the slain terrorists,” the official said.
He said these back-to-back encounters point to a renewed infiltration push by terror outfits operating from across the border. We are on high alert, and further operations cannot be ruled out in the coming days, the official added.
