Jammu, March 28 (IANS) The number of terrorists killed in an anti-terrorist operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district has risen to five after two more bodies were recovered on Friday in the forest area where they had been hiding.
Official sources said that five terrorists had been killed. At the same time, three jawans of the special operations group (SOG) of J&K Police died in the operation in Ghati Heights of Sufiyan Jakhole village of Kathua district.
Seven security personnel, including Deputy SP border, Dheeraj Katoch and a para commando of the Army, were injured in this operation.
The injured have been shifted to a hospital in Jammu city, while the Dy SP is being treated at the government medical college (GMC) hospital in Kathua.
Paying tribute to the martyred policemen, Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha said, “I bow to the valorous martyrs of J&K Police, who laid down their lives for our motherland. My deepest condolences to their families. In the ongoing Kathua encounter, several terrorists were neutralised. J&K Police & Security Forces are on the job. Operation in progress.”
The operation against the terrorists was resumed this morning with the first light. Given the number of terrorists seen at Sanyal village on Sunday and the fact that five terrorists were killed now in Ghati Heights of Safiyan Jakhole village, it is confirmed that this is the same group which had escaped from Sanyal village and was trying to cross over to Billawar in Kathua district through Ghati Heights.
Official sources said that civilians observed the movement of terrorists at the village Safiyan Jakhole Ghati heights at 7 a.m. Thursday and sounded police.
“Teams of local police and the SOG headed by SDPO Border, Dheeraj Katoch rushed to the spot and engaged terrorists in the gunbattle, who were well equipped with sophisticated weapons like M4 Carbines. Later, Army personnel, including para commandos, were air dropped, and reinforcements of police and paramilitary personnel reached the spot to join the operation,” said the officials.
“Three SOG personnel who were part of the first team to reach the spot were martyred in the operation while the DySP Border was injured. One para commando and six policemen, including the Dy SP, sustained injuries. Three terrorists were neutralized till last evening. Their bodies are lying on a hill and will be brought down once the operation is over,” the officials said earlier.
“The body of one of the terrorists has been burnt. All of them are believed to be Pakistanis,” the officials added.
The police martyrs have been identified as Tariq Ahmad, son of Kabir Hussain of Reasi, Jaswant Singh, son of Angrez Singh of Londi, Hiranagar and Balwinder Singh, son of Prem Singh of Kana Chak, Kathua, all selection grade constables of J&K Police.
“Terrorists are believed to be part of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit. They appeared to be well-trained. The gunfight triggered intense firing and explosions, with the Army using rocket launchers to eliminate the terrorists, who fired heavily with M4 Carbines and other sophisticated weapons and also used grenades. Local youth were seen assisting the security forces in carrying heavy weapons and ammunition deep inside a gorge,” said the officials.
Senior police officers are camping at the spot, supervising the operation.
“Special Army para commandos were airdropped in the evening yesterday to further strengthen the cordon around the area. The bodies of terrorists were noticed by drones and would be retrieved when the operation ends,” official sources said.
–IANS
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