The two terrorists who had opened fire in a village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua have been killed in an encounter. A paramilitary soldier was also killed in action during the firing.
Two overnight confrontations in Jammu extended into the morning, including one in Doda where five soldiers and a special police officer (SPO) were wounded in an assault on an army post. Just two days before there were terror incidents in Jammu, a bus filled with pilgrims had come under attack in Reasi and crashed into a gorge, killing nine passengers.
Additional Director General of Police, Jammu zone, Anand Jain who is supervising the anti-terrorist ops in Kathua, shared details of the encounters earlier this morning. The police said two terrorists were involved in the Kathua attack and one of them was killed last night. The second terrorist, equipped with a US-made M4 carbine assault rifle, was hiding in the forested area and was neutralized this morning.
The terrorists had asked for water from several houses, raising villagers’ suspicions, and opened fire when some of them raised an alarm. One civilian was harmed in the firing, clarified Mr Jain and declined reports that three people died in the Kathua attack. “There are rumours that many people are injured and three are dead. But only one civilian was injured, other than this all information regarding hostages being held and death, are rumours,” Mr. Jain clarified.
The security force personnel who was killed during the encounter was a part of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
ADGP Jain also called the Kathua attack a “fresh infiltration” and pointed at Pakistan without naming the country. He said, “It is our hostile neighbour who always tries to damage the peaceful environment in our country. This (Hiranagar Terror attack) appears to be a fresh infiltration.” Jammu has seen an increase in terrorist activity, with these attacks occurring in areas traditionally considered free of terrorism.
Two days earlier, a bus approaching the Shiv Khori cave temple came under attack in Reasi. The terrorists opened fire after the bus driver refused to deboard the passengers, but lost control and fell into the gorge, the bus company’s manager stated. Nine people were neutralized and 33 were injured in the incident. The attack was carried out on the command of Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Abu Hamza, officials said.
Author: Sangi Roy
Student of mass communication with a deep passion for print media and reading. My hobbies include traveling, exploring ancient history, and visiting museums.
