Policeman injured in Doda gunfight with terrorists, fourth in 3 days

Head constable Fareed Ahmed was injured after contact was established at about 7:30pm with terrorists in Kota Top area

JAMMU: A policeman was injured in fresh gunfight with terrorists, the fourth in three days, in Kota Top area of Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday evening, said officials.

Security forces stand guard near the site of a gunfight between security forces and terrorists at Saida village in Kathua's Hiranagar sector on June 12 (HT Photo)

Head constable Fareed Ahmed was injured after contact was established at about 7:30pm with terrorists in Kota Top area in Bhallessa of Gandoh sub division, said Doda senior superintendent of police (SSP) Javed Iqbal.

Additional reinforcements have been rushed to the area, he added.

The district police chief stressed that the terrorists involved in the gunfight in the Kota Top area were different from the ones who attacked security personnel at Chattargala on Bhaderwah-Pathankot road around 1.45 am on Wednesday.

A local resident explained that it would take anyone 10 hours to cover the distance between Chattargala and Kota Top on foot.

Kota Top, a meadow, falls in Khrangal Panchayat of Bhallessa.

Officials said the injured head constable has been evacuated from the encounter site and admitted to hospital.

The encounter started when a joint team of the Jammu and Kashmir police and the Indian Army’s 4 Rashtriya Rifles launched a cordon and search operation in the area.

As the team zeroed in on the suspected spot, the terrorists fired upon the forces, said officials.