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Major crisis averted before Independence Day: Security forces on J&K encounter
Kashmir's inspector-general of police (IGP) Vijay Kumar said that a “major tragedy” was averted just days before India celebrates its 75th Independence Day on August 15 with the conclusion of the Kulgam encounter.
Security forces on Friday gunned down a terrorist belonging to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) during an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's (J&K)'s Kulgam district, which began on Thursday afternoon. Two security personnel and two civilians were reported to have been injured in the shooting.
Kashmir's inspector-general of police (IGP) Vijay Kumar said that a “major tragedy” was averted just days before India celebrates its 75th Independence Day on August 15 with the conclusion of the Kulgam encounter.
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“Kulgam Encounter Update: Operation is over now,” the Kashmir Zone police tweeted on Friday morning. Quoting the IGP Kashmir, the police department said, “A major tragedy has been averted before Independence Day.”
According to the security officials, the LeT terrorists fired upon a Border Security Force (BSF) convoy on Thursday, triggering the encounter. Soon, senior officers of J&K police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and the Indian Army rushed to the spot to provide backup and cordoned off the area. The encounter continued throughout the night.
"Around 3pm [on Thursday], terrorists fired upon the convoy of BSF on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway near Malpora Mir Bazar area of Kulgam. However, the fire was retaliated by an ROP (road opening party) of the police and security forces," a police spokesperson was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
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“The search proved difficult at night,” the security officials said. “So we searched this morning. The body of a Pakistani terrorist, identified as Usman, was recovered. An AK47, a grenade, and a rocket launcher have been found.” According to IGP Kashmir, the incriminating materials retrieved from the site show that a major incident was about to take place.
“The force party ensured not to give any chance to the terrorists to escape,” a police spokesperson said. “The terrorists managed to take shelter in a nearby huge building. The holed-up terrorists fired indiscriminately upon the joint party of police and security forces which was retaliated.”
All the injured have been taken to a hospital for treatment, security officials said.
