Encounter breaks out between security forces, terrorists during search operation in Rajouri

RAJOURI/JAMMU: An encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces late on Monday evening during a search operation in the forest area of Kalakote in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district, officials said.

The Army along with police had cordoned off the Broh and Soom forest belt in the Kalakote area early on Monday following information about suspicious movement, they said.

The search operation turned into an encounter late in the evening when the terrorists hiding in the area opened fire on the forces in an attempt to break the cordon, the officials said.

Security forces retaliated and an exchange of fire between the two sides was underway. There was no immediate report of any casualty, the officials said.

Reinforcements have been rushed to the area to plug all possible escape routes, they said. Earlier in the day, gunshots were heard during the cordon and search operation but it was later clarified that the security forces fired the probing shots to check the presence of suspected terrorists. (PTI)