• DIG, SSP escape unhurt in terrorist attack
• Cache of arms & ammunition recovered
• Injured civilian stable, hospitalised
• Both terrorists had recently infiltrated: ADGP Jammu
• Searches to continue
Srinagar, June 12: In a 15-hour-long operation, security forces in SaidaSukhal village of Kathua district successfully neutralized two foreign terrorists. The encounter, which began late Tuesday night and concluded on Wednesday afternoon, also saw the loss of CRPF jawan CT/GD KabirDass, who succumbed to his injuries, police said.
Additional Director General of Police, Jammu zone, Anand Jain said the slain terrorists were part of a newly infiltrated group, and a significant cache of arms, ammunition, and other war-like stores was recovered from the site.
Despite the operation’s intensity, two senior officers narrowly escaped harm when their vehicles were hit by bullets. The operation continues as security forces remain vigilant, suspecting the presence of more terrorists in the area.
Meanwhile traffic on the highway has been suspended as an operation is underway to track down the terrorists.
Additional Director General of Police, Jammu zone, Anand Jain, who is supervising the anti-terrorist ops in Kathua told Rising Kashmir that two terrorists were killed and a CRPF jawan was martyred in a fierce gunfight in the Kathua district.
“The encounter began Tuesday evening in the village of SaidaSukhal, near KootaMorh of Police Station Hira Nagar, and continued until Wednesday afternoon. Initially, one terrorist was neutralized Tuesday evening, and the second terrorist was killed on Wednesday,” he said.
ADGP Jain said one CRPF jawan, identified as CT/GD KabirDass No.115062756 of 121 Bn CRPF S/O Shiv Charan suffered bullet injuries Tuesday night at village SaidaSukhal, KootahMorh, and later succumbed to his injuries during treatment at SDH Hiranagar, the officer said.
Meanwhile, a civilian who was injured in the encounter is reported to be stable and out of danger.
“The identities of the slain terrorists are yet to be confirmed, but it is believed that they infiltrated from across the border. A significant cache of arms and ammunition, including grenades, IEDs and other war-like stores, was recovered from the terrorists,” he said.
ADGP Jain, who has been on the scene and monitoring the operation since Tuesday stated that the operation has not been called off yet, as there may be more terrorists hiding in the area.
“The security forces remain vigilant and are conducting thorough searches to ensure the safety and security of the region,” he said.
Earlier ADGP Jain said that both terrorists (who appeared to have freshly infiltrated) surfaced in village SaidaSukhal near Kootamorh of Police Station Hira Nagar in the late evening of 11 June.
“They asked for water from a few houses to which villagers grew suspicious and slammed the doors on them and a few raised hue and cry,” he said.
ADGP Jain further said that due to hue and cry, both terrorists panicked and fired randomly in the air and also at one odd villager who was passing by.
He said after that SHO Hiranagar and SDPO rushed to the spot, engaged the terrorists and one terrorist got killed while lobbing a grenade at the police party. Police with the help of CRPF had cordoned the area and started evacuating civilians from the area.
“After that house was cleared, one family of a husband and wife were evacuated to hospital. While the wife is unhurt, the husband OmkarNath S/o Dina Nath is injured in the arm and appears to be stable,” he said.
Meanwhile, DIG Police, SSP Kathua had a narrow escape after a terrorist fired a barrage of bullets on their vehicles amid the ongoing anti-terrorist operation in Hiranagar.
A police official said that a cavalcade of the two police officers came under attack after a hiding terrorist fired over two dozen rounds. There however was no harm caused to any of the officers’ or any of the personnel,” he said.
Meanwhile, security forces recovered arms and ammunition around the ongoing gunfight site including three magazines containing 30 rounds, one another magazine containing 24 rounds, 75 rounds in a separate polythene, 3 live grenades.7He said one lakh currency (200 notes of rupees 500), eatables (Pak-made chocolates, dry chana and stale chapatis), Pak-made medicines and injections (pain-killers), 1 syringe, 2 packs of A4 batteries and 1 handset wrapped in tape having antenna and 2 wires hanging from the handset.
On Sunday, terrorists attacked a bus in the Reasi district’s Pouni area. Nine people, including seven pilgrims, were killed and 38 others were injured.
The police released a sketch of one of the terrorists behind the attack on the pilgrims’ bus and announced a reward of Rs 20 lakh for information on him.
