Srinagar: A paramilitary soldier lost his life in action while a terrorist was neutralized during a confrontation after a village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district was targeted late last night.
There are currently two ongoing confrontations that started overnight in Jammu. This includes one in Doda where five soldiers and a special police officer (SPO) sustained injuries during the initial exchange of fire.
Just two days prior to these two acts of terrorism in Jammu, a bus carrying pilgrims was attacked in Reasi and plunged into a gorge, resulting in the tragic death of nine passengers.
Anand Jain, Additional Director General of Police for the Jammu zone, who is overseeing the counter-terrorism operations in Kathua, provided details of the encounters earlier this morning.
Regarding the incident in Doda, he stated that terrorists opened fire at a joint team of police and Rashtriya Rifles at an army base in the Chattargala area late last night. An ongoing confrontation is taking place between the security forces and the terrorists in the higher regions, he added.
According to the police, two terrorists were involved in the attack in Kathua yesterday evening, and one of them has been eliminated. Security forces are currently utilizing drones to search for the second terrorist in the Hiranagar area of Kathua.
The terrorists had approached several houses asking for water, which raised suspicions among the villagers. When some villagers raised an alarm, the terrorists opened fire. Mr. Jain clarified that one civilian was injured in the gunfire and dismissed reports of three fatalities in the Kathua attack.
The statement mentioned that there are speculations about multiple injuries and three fatalities. However, it was clarified that only one civilian sustained injuries, while the rest of the details regarding hostages and casualties are unverified rumors.
The security personnel who lost their lives in the incident were identified as a member of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
ADGP Jain also labeled the Kathua attack as a “recent infiltration” and indirectly implicated Pakistan as the source. He stated, “Our neighboring hostile country is constantly attempting to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere within our borders. This incident (Hiranagar Terror attack) seems to be a recent infiltration.”