Suspected Pak terrorist killed in encounter in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir

According to reports, one terrorist was killed during the encounter and the other is hiding in the village.

Jammu:

Police said security forces killed a suspected Pakistani terrorist on Tuesday evening after ultras attacked a village near the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district and injured a civilian.

In a separate incident, gunfight broke out between terrorists and security forces in the higher reaches of Doda district but there were no immediate reports of any casualties, Additional Director General of Police, Jammu zone, Anand Jain, who reached Kathua to supervise the anti-terrorist operation , he told reporters.

Sharing details of Operation Kathua, Jain said, “Two terrorists who appeared to be freshly infiltrated (from abroad) emerged from Saida Sukhal village around 8 p.m. and asked for water from the household. People got scared and as soon as the information was received, a police team headed by a sub-divisional policeman and a station house officer rushed to the village.” “One of the terrorists tried to throw a grenade and was killed in the exchange of fire, while the second terrorist is reported to be hiding in the village,” the ADGP added.

He said that an operation was underway in a village near Koota Mode in Hiranagar sector, over 60 km from here.

Officials said that an AK assault rifle and a backpack were seized from the killed terrorist, whose identity and group membership were secured.

A civilian identified as Omkar Nath alias ‘Bitu’, who sustained serious injuries in one hand due to terrorist firing, was evacuated to hospital, they said.

Only one civilian was injured in the terror attack, Jain said, allaying rumors that three civilians were killed and many others injured in the incident.

“Don’t pay attention to unconfirmed reports,” the officer said.

He said the terrorists also opened fire on a joint police and Rashtriya Rifle team at Chattergala Pass in Doda district. “Shots are still ongoing in the area and we are awaiting further details.” Without naming Pakistan, the ADGP said the ‘hostile’ neighbor always makes attempts to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in the Jammu region.

Asked about the possible involvement of two terrorists in the brutal murder of chemist Amarjit Sharma, whose throat-slit body was found late in the evening in nearby Mela village, Jain said it was under investigation. The latest terrorist attack on a village in Kathua comes two days after ultras 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, leaving nine people dead and injuring up to 41 others .

Union Minister Jitendra Singh said he was in constant touch with top civil and police officials in the constituency, which is part of his Udhampur parliamentary constituency, and with a local villager whose house was attacked by terrorists.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh said, “I am in constant online contact with DC (Deputy Commissioner) Kathua Sh Rakesh Minhas in the wake of the terrorist attack on a house in Saida village in Hiranagar sector near the international border.

“I am also in touch with SSP Kathua Sh Anayat Ali Choudhary, who is on site. The owner of the attacked house (name cannot be revealed) is also contacted by mobile phone. A joint police and paramilitary operation is underway on… – wrote the minister under “X”.

He also confirmed the killing of one terrorist so far and said: “My office and I are in constant contact and are closely monitoring the development of the situation.” Sharing further details of the incident, a police spokesman said that the villagers became suspicious of the terrorists looking for water and slammed the doors on them, while several of them became angry and started crying.

“The terrorists panicked and shot randomly in the air and also at one of the villagers passing by,” the official said.

“Police cordoned off the area with the help of CRPF. The search party clears the houses one by one. So far, one family consisting of a husband and wife has been evacuated to hospital. Nothing happened to the wife, but the husband’s shoulder was injured in the accident and he seems stable,” the spokesman said.

The police appealed to citizens to wait for authentic information and not to spread various, unverified narratives.

“This is a challenge to national security posed by hostile elements from around the world and instead of involving the police in managing the legal order, citizens are asked to help and cooperate with the police in the logical and successful conclusion of the operation so that the terrorists are killed and at the same time injured ( if at all) will be evacuated for treatment,” the spokesman said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)