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J&K: 4 army men including 2 officers killed, 2 injured in gunfight with terrorists
The encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces in Rajouri district’s Bajimaal area near Bravi in Kalakote Tehsil on Wednesday
Jammu: Four army men including two officers were killed and two injured in an ongoing encounter with well- entrenched and heavily armed terrorists, believed to be two to three in numbers, in a dense jungle in Kalakote area of Rajouri district on Wednesday morning, said officials.
The encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces in Rajouri district’s Bajimaal area near Bravi in Kalakote Tehsil on Wednesday morning after Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police acted on an intelligence input and launched a cordon and search operation in the area.
“The first contact (with terrorists) was established at Solki by the 63 RR troops around 0900 hrs (9am). Immediately, a cordon and search operation was launched,” said an army officer, who insisted anonymity.
“In the ensuing searches, the troops were fired upon by terrorists in which two captains of the 63 RR and 9 Para (Special Forces) respectively besides a Havaldar of 9 Para (SF) were killed. A major of 9 Para (SF), who was grievously hurt in the chest and arm, was evacuated to command hospital in Udhampur. He is stable,” said the officer.
The officer said the operation was still on till Wednesday evening, a cordon has been put in place and it will resume at the first light tomorrow, he added.
“It’s an old group of terrorists, which is moving around in the area. The security forces had been looking for it (the group) for over a month now. This morning, the troops established contact,” he said.
“The terrorists are heavily armed and they are not freshly infiltrated terrorists because operations for the past over a month were on to neutralise them,” said the officer.
He, however, said that it was a “bad day” for the forces.
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An intelligence official said, the commandoes of the 9 Para Special Forces and officers of the 63 RR and 54 RR were leading the charge when they came under fire from the terrorists.
Additional reinforcements have been rushed to the area.
However, the Army is yet to issue a statement on the operation.
Defence spokesperson Lt Col Suneel Bartwal said, “Operation is in progress. Information will be shared after termination of operation.”
Earlier this morning, police in a brief statement stated, “Encounter has started between terrorists and joint forces Army & JK Police in Bajimaal area of Dharmsal in Rajouri district. Two terrorists are believed to be trapped. Further details to follow.”
A police officer from Kalakote said, “The area where the encounter is raging, is a dense forest on a treacherous mountain. It is located near Baji Sahab Darbar on Bravi link road in Kalakote. The area is far away from the line of control, around 95 kms, which indicates that the terrorists were guided to this place and are well entrenched now with the logistical support of sympathisers.”
“Treacherous mountains, dense jungles and alpine forests are making things tough for the security forces,” he added.
Last week, a terrorist was killed in an encounter with security forces in forest area of Budhal in Rajouri district.
On September 12 and 13, security forces had gunned two terrorists in the Narla area of the same district.
On September 11, Northern Army commander Lt General Dwivedi had informed at the North Tech Symposium that nearly 200 terrorists were waiting to across the LoC in Pakistan.
“They are waiting to infiltrate but our alert troops are deployed at the borders and we are trying to eliminate them there itself,” he had said.
Since January this year, two border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, south of the Pir Panjal range, have witnessed a spike in terrorism.
The twin border districts witnessed three major terror attacks on January 1 in Dhangri, on April 20 at Tota Gali in Poonch and on May 5 in the Kandi forests of Rajouri. In the three attacks, the terrorists killed 10 soldiers and seven members of the Hindu community.
