• Alert in Chenab region
• Makeshift hideout was busted in Poonch forests, 1 apprehended searches underway
• Poonch resident held along with live ammunition: ADGP
Srinagar, Sep 13: Two Army personnel, including a junior commissioned officer (JCO), were killed and two injured in an encounter with terrorists in a forest area of Chatroo at Kishtwar district of Jammu division, officials said.
The encounter broke out when a joint security party of the Army and police, acting on a tip-off, launched a cordon-and-search operation at 3:30 pm in the Naidgham area in the Chhatroo belt, they added.
“A contact was established with the terrorists at 1530 hrs. In the ensuing firefight, initially four army personnel were injured but later two succumbed to injuries. The operation is in progress,” he added.
The officials said there was an exchange of fire between the search team of the security forces and the terrorists hiding in the Pingnal Dugadda forest area in the upper reaches of Naidgham village located within the Chhatroo police station limits.
Lt Col Suneel Bartwal, PRO Defence Jammu told Rising Kashmir that four Armymen were injured in Operation Shahpurshal.
“Four Army personnel were injured in the gunbattle and two of them — JCO Naib Subedar Vipan Kumar and Sepoy Arvind Singh — later succumbed to the injuries,” the officials said.
Lt. Col Bartwal further said “in the joint operation launched on September 11 by Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police, two terrorists were neutralised and large war like stores were recovered. We have concluded the operation,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Army also confirmed the killing of the two soldiers.
“GOC (General Officer Commanding) White Knight Corps and all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of the bravehearts; offer deepest condolences to the families,” the Army said.
Meanwhile, in Poonch, acting on information, the security forces launched a search operation following inputs of terrorists in Doda Forest area on Thursday night.
Following the brief encounter, a makeshift hideout was busted and some recoveries, including AK rifle, was made. Major search operation was launched to track down the terrorists in the area.
Meanwhile, ADGP Jammu, Anand Jain told Rising Kashmir that Poonch Police apprehended one Mohd Shabir resident of Daryala Nowshera during a joint naka with 16 RR & 38 Bn of CRPF at Potha bye pass.
“We have recovered 03 HE-36 Grenade, explosive substance & other incriminating material from his possession,” he added.
Amid the upcoming elections, heightened security measures have been enforced across Kishtwar, Doda, and Ramban districts. Entire Chenab region is on high alert.
Additional forces have been deployed to safeguard residential areas and polling stations, while existing troops and police are conducting regular search operations targeting terrorists suspected of hiding in forested regions.
Senior security officials are already stationed in Doda to review security preparations ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled public rally there on Saturday.
Over the past two months, nearly a dozen personnel, including two Army Captains and seven soldiers, have lost their lives in separate attacks across the upper reaches of Doda, Udhampur, and Kathua districts. Additionally, security forces neutralized three terrorists during an earlier operation in the Gandoh area of Doda district.
The Chenab Valley region, comprising Doda, Kishtwar, and Ramban districts, is set to participate in the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections on September 18. Meanwhile, Udhampur, Jammu, Samba, and Kathua districts will go to the polls in the third phase, scheduled for October 1.
