Six securitymen injured in Chattergalla encounter; DIG Jammu, SSP Kathua escape unhurt
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU/KATHUA/DODA: A terrorist holed up in a border village in Hiranagar in Kathua district was killed by security forces on Wednesday in a more than 15-hour operation during which his partner was also shot dead and a CRPF jawan lost his life, officials said. According to them, two senior officers escaped unhurt even as their vehicles were hit by bullets during the operation that began on Tuesday night after two terrorists were spotted in Saida Sukhal village in Hiranagar.
In Doda district, five troopers of Rashtriya Rifles and a special police officer (SPO) were injured when terrorists attacked a joint checkpost in the upper reaches of Chattergalla on the Bhaderwah-Pathankot road late on Tuesday night. Traffic on the highway has been suspended as an operation is underway to track down the terrorists.
The two incidents come just days after terrorists attacked a bus carrying pilgrims from the Shiv Khori temple to Katra, causing it to veer off the road and fall into a deep gorge. Nine people died and 41 were injured in the Sunday evening attack.
Police have announced Rs 20 lakh reward for information on the whereabouts of the terrorists involved in the attack on the bus and have also released the sketch of one of the terrorists.
Authorities have claimed that attempts by Pakistan to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir were the reason for the spurt in terror activities in the Jammu region.
In Kathua’s Saida Sukhal village near the International Border — around 60 kms from Jammu — the second holed-up terrorist was killed on Wednesday noon in an intense gunfight after being cornered by the joint security parties of the police, Army and CRPF, officials said.
The terrorist tried to break the cordon by firing indiscriminately at the security forces around 3 am. Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan Kabir Dass, a resident of Madhya Pradesh, was critically injured in the firing and later succumbed to injuries in a hospital, they said.
During the operation, official vehicles of Deputy Inspector General of Police, Jammu-Samba-Kathua range, Sunil Gupta and Senior Superintendent of Police, Kathua, Anayat Ali Choudhary were hit by several bullets but the officers escaped unhurt.
The officials said that the cavalcade of the two police officers came under attack after a hiding militant fired over two dozen rounds. “There however was no harm caused to any of the officers’ or any of the personnel,” the official said. In a related development, the security forces recovered arms and ammunition around the ongoing gunfight site.
Sketches of 4 terrorists released; Rs 5 lakh reward announced for each
JAMMU: Doda Police on Wednesday released sketches of 4 terrorists who are roaming in upper reaches of Bhaderwah, Thathri, Gandoh and involved in terror related activities. Police also announced cash reward of Rs 5 lakh for providing the information of each terrorist.
Police has appealed the general public to provide information about the presence /movement of terrorists to the police. Identity of informers will be kept secret.
Talking to reporters after the encounter ended, Additional Director General of Police (Jammu zone) Anand Jain, who supervised the operation, said both the terrorists have been killed and a large quantity of weapons, improvised explosive devices and grenades recovered from them.
“A search is still on as there is a possibility of some more terrorists hiding in the area. The terrorists had freshly infiltrated (from across the border) and a joint operation was launched immediately after getting information about their presence in the village,” he said.
He lauded the bravery of the slain CRPF jawan and said, “We salute his sacrifice.”
Earlier, the ADGP said, “Two terrorists entered the village around 8 pm on Tuesday and asked for water from a household. The people got frightened and as soon as they informed us, a police team rushed to the village.”
“One of the terrorists tried to hurl a grenade at the police team and was killed in the exchange of fire,” he said.
Officials said both the slain terrorists are believed to be Pakistanis. An M4 carbine, an AK assault rifle and over Rs 1 lakh in cash besides Pakistan-made food items and medicines were seized from the encounter site, they said, adding the identity and group affiliation of the terrorists were being ascertained.
A civilian was also injured in the terrorist firing and was hospitalised on Tuesday night, the officials said.
In Doda, terrorists fired on a joint checkpost of the 4 Rashtriya Rifles and police at Chattergalla area late on Tuesday night, leading to a fierce gunfight which continued for several hours, officials said.
They said five Rashtriya Rifles personnel and an SPO were injured and they were taken to hospital. Additional security personnel have been rushed to the area to intensify the operation against the terrorists, they said.
According to the officials, traffic movement has been completely suspended on the busy Bhadarwah-Pathankot interstate highway in view of the ongoing search and cordon operation in Chattergalla, Guldandi, Sarthal, Shankh Pader and Kailash mountain range.
Without naming Pakistan, ADGP Anand Jain said the “hostile” neighbour is always making attempts to disturb peace in the Jammu region.
Meanwhile, a search and cordon operation has been launched in the Kalal area of the Nowshera sector in Rajouri district following suspicious movement of two persons.
Security forces have been put on high alert following intelligence reports about possible attempts by terrorists to carry out an attack, especially in Poonch and Rajouri districts which has been seeing a spurt in terror activities over the past two years, officials said.
According to a police handout, on June 11, 2024 after receiving an information from reliable source that two terrorists surfaced in the village Saida Sohal near Koota Morh area of Police Station Hiranagar in the late evening hours . 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. The terrorists panicked and fired randomly in the air and also at one odd villager, who was passing by. SHO Hiranagar and the SDPO Border rushed to the spot, engaged the terrorists and as a result one terrorist got killed last night while lobbing a grenade at the police party.”
“Whereas, Search for the other terrorist was going on who got neutralised today. J&K Police in its joint operation led by Senior Police Officers/officials, J&K Police Special Operation Group (SOG) alongwith the help of CRPF and Indian Army had cordoned off the area. Thereafter the search parties cleared the houses one by one and rescued one injured person along with his wife who were evacuated to the hospital. While the wife is unhurt, the husband Omkar Nath, son of Nath is injured in the arm and appears to be stable. Whereas One CRPF personnel namely CT/GD Kabir Dass No.115062756 of 121 Bn CRPF, son of Shiv Charan, resident of Madhya Pardesh who suffered bullet injuries last night later succumbed to his injuries during treatment at SDH Hiranagar and gave supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.
Moreover, the huge cache of arms and ammunition recovered includes:- 01 AK 56 Rifle, 01 M4 Rifle, 10 Magazines alongwith total 382 rounds, 08 live grenades, Rs. 2,10,000 Currency Notes, eatables including Pakistan-made chocolates, dry chenna and stale chapatis, Pakistan-made medicines and pain killer injections, and electronics were also recovered/seized by the police party on spot. In this regard FIR No. 101/2024 U/S 307/120-B/121/121-A/122/IPC, 13/16/18/23/UAPA ACT & 7/27 Arms Act has already been registered at PS Hiranagar while the further investigation is underway.
Another terror attack at Bhalessa, cop injured
GANDOH: Constable Fareed Ahmed was injured on Wednesday evening when terrorists opened fire on a search party at Bhalessa in Gandoh area of Doda district, officials said.
The firing was reported from the Kota top area of Bhalessa around 7.41 pm to which security forces retaliated, they said.
An intermittent exchange of fire between the two sides was going on when last reports were received. Reinforcements have been rushed to the area to strengthen the cordon, they added. The injured constable rushed to hospital. This was the second terror-related incident in Doda in the last 24 hours and fourth in three days in Jammu and Kashmir.
