Continuing the ongoing anti-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir, a fresh encounter broke out between security forces and militants in the Duggan area of Billawar in Kathua district on Friday evening.
The region has seen a spate of confrontations over the past fortnight, with the search operation extended across the twin districts in an effort to track down remaining militants.
A senior police official told reporters that the security forces had launched a cordon and search operation following intelligence inputs regarding the presence of militants in the area.
“As soon as the operation began, militants opened fire, leading to a fresh exchange of gunfire. The area has been sealed off, and additional reinforcements have been rushed to the spot,” the officer said.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jammu, Bhim Sen Tuti, visited key police and border security units in Samba to review the ground situation and enhance coordination with the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Army for tighter vigil along the International Border (IB).
Also read: Militants spotted in Kathua, Udhampur; search on
The current encounter follows Operation Safiyan in the Kathua region, during which four Jammu and Kashmir police personnel were killed. Two militants were neutralised in that operation, and security forces recovered “war-like stores” from the encounter site.
The operation began on 23 March, when locals collecting firewood in a forested nursery near Sanyal reported the presence of suspected Pakistani infiltrators.
In a separate development, BSF troops detected suspicious movement in the RS Pura area of Jammu district early Saturday.
According to officials, “On the intervening night of 4 and 5 April, a suspicious movement was observed by the BSF near the fence in RS Pura. The intruder was challenged; however, there was no response as such, and a few gunshots were fired towards the suspicious spot.”
On Saturday morning, the BSF informed local police, who recovered a body from the area. The deceased was taken into custody for medico-legal formalities.
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