Soldier injured in encounter between security forces, terrorists in Kishtwar
Three terrorists of the Jaish-e-Mohammad are suspected to be hiding in the Kalaban forest, where the operation by the army, special operations group (SOG) and the CRPF is underway.
A soldier was injured during an encounter between security forces and a group of Pakistani terrorists in the Chatroo area of Kishtwar district on Wednesday morning, officials said.
“Security forces and J&K Police had launched a joint operation based on specific intelligence inputs. During the operation, contact was established with terrorists and a fierce exchange of fire ensued,” said a senior police officer.
“Three terrorists of the Jaish-e-Mohammad are suspected to be hiding in the Kalaban forest, where the operation by the army, special operations group (SOG) and the CRPF is underway. In the initial gunfight, a soldier was injured. He was airlifted in a chopper to Command Hospital in Udhampur,” he added.
Kishtwar district police chief Naresh Singh said that the encounter started around 7.30am after which the area was cordoned off. The operation is in progress.
The Kalaban forest in Chatroo is 45 km from the Kishtwar district headquarters.
The army’s White Knight Corps confirmed the development on X: “In an intelligence-based operation, in concert with @jk_police, in early morning hours today, alert troops of #WhiteKnightCorps have established contact with terrorists in the general area of Chatroo. Fire exchanged with terrorists. Operation is in progress.”
Additional reinforcements have been rushed to the area.
Six encounters in seven months in region
Security forces have been monitoring the movement of terrorists in the mountainous district, resulting in multiple encounters in the belt which borders Doda and Udhampur districts.
Kishtwar has seen six encounters in the past seven months as forces continue their hunt for Pakistan-based terrorists hiding in the hills.
On September 21, a group of terrorists was engaged in a gunfight in the Chhatru area.
On September 13, two army men, one of them a junior commissioned officer, were killed and two more injured in an encounter with terrorists in the Naidgram area of Chhatru.Violent confrontations took place in Dul and Chhatru belts on August 11 and July 2, but the terrorists managed to escape.
On May 22, a soldier and two terrorists were killed in an encounter in the Singapore area of the Chhatru belt.
On April 12, three terrorists were killed in an encounter in the Kishtwar area, while the army foiled an infiltration bid by terrorists along the LoC in the Akhnoor sector.
