JAMMU: One more militant and an Army soldier were killed in the encounter between a joint-team of security forces and police and militants in Kalakote area of Rajouri district till late Thursday evening, according to local news gathering agency GNS.
Quoting officials, GNS reported that two militants and five army soldiers including two captains have been killed in the encounter that ensued on Wednesday morning after Cordon and Search Operations (CASO) were launched in some villages of Kalakote on specific intelligence inputs. Soon after suffering casualties, the Army and police rushed reinforcements to neutralize the militants hiding in the forests of Pir Panjal region.
“Based on specific intelligence Joint Operations was launched in Kalakote area Gulabgarh forest Rajouri,” army’s White Knight Corps had said in a tweet.
“Contact (was) established on 22 Nov(ember) and intense firefight ensued. The terrorists have been injured and surrounded and operations are in progress, amidst acts of valour and sacrifice by own bravehearts in trying to prevent collateral damage to women and children in the highest traditions of #IndianArmy.”
Official sources said that two captains, a havildar and another soldier were killed while two others personnel including a Major were injured in the initial phase of the encounter.
Today two militants, one of them identified as Quari of Pakistan and a soldier were killed.
Yesterday a police officer told GNS that a team of Police and security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the area on a “very specific input”.
As the joint team approached towards the suspected area, he said, the hiding militants fired upon the joint party, leading to an encounter.
A police statement in Jammu said: “Apropos to our earlier information regarding encounter between terrorists and Army & JK Police in Bajimaal area of Dharmsal-Kalakote in Rajouri District, a top Commander identified as code name Qari of Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit has been gunned down in a fierce gun battle in Bajimaal area of Dharmsal in Rajouri District. He was active in Rajouri-Poonch alongwith his group from past one year. He was also believed to be the mastermind of Dangri & Kandi attacks. The slain terrorist was sent to revive terrorism in the region and IEDs handling expert, operating & hiding from Caves & a trained Sniper.”
The statement released by IGP Jammu office said that “Incriminating materials including arms & ammunition were recovered from his possession.”
“It is pertinent to mention here that Army and Police launched the cordon of the area the day after yesterday on the basis of specific intelligence input,” police statement added.
“During the search, the terrorists hiding in the area fired on the search party and in the subsequent encounter, one terrorist affiliated with self-styled group Lashkar-e-Taiba was gunned down,” it said.
The statement said, “His associate has also been killed during the on-going operation.”
“The bodies of both the terrorists have also been retrieved and taken for further medico-legal formalities by the Police.”
“The area is being thoroughly searched to check for any other suspicious article, support structure etc…”, it added.
Those who lost their lives include Captain M V Pranjal of 63 Rastriya Rifles, a resident of Karnataka, Captain Shubham of the Special Forces, resident of Agra in Uttar Pradesh, Havaldar Abdul Majid of the Special Force, a resident of Poonch in J&K, and Lance Naik Sanjay Bist of Nainital in Uttarakhand.
Cong shocked over huge army loss
J&K Pradesh Congress Committee has expressed great shock over the reports of major loss of army in a militant attack in Kalakote area of Rajouri district on Thursday.
Expressing great shock over the loss, the party expressed grave concern over the rising incidents of terrorism especially in twin border districts. JKPCC Working President Raman Bhalla, Senior Vice President & Media Incharge Ravinder Sharma, DCC President Shabir Ahmed Khan and other leaders have said that militancy has revived in Rajouri Poonch border belt.
Today’s martyrdom is a major loss and we express our deepest sympathies with their families and share their grief and shock. It’s a matter of grave concern that militancy has been on rise in various parts including in Twin border district.
The Congress party had raised concern based on local inputs about the presence of terrorists in the Kalakote area and its adjoining parts and had demanded strengthening of security network last month and had written to the Lt Governor also to set up security posts in vulnerable areas in view of the serious threat.
The party fully stands behind army and security forces to deal with the threat of terrorism and to ensure the safety and security of common people and the jawans.
BJP mourns death of 4 security officials
BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh who is also the party incharge of J&K, today said that the Pakistan sponsored terrorism in J&K would be decisively wiped out shortly.
Mourning the death of four security officials including two Army captains, the gunfight with militants in Rajouri, Chugh said the Modi-government stands by every security official and the entire nation joins us to pay homage to the jawans who have laid down their lives fighting the militants.
Chugh said Pakistan sponsored terrorism has been wiped out of J&K to a large extent but still there are elements within the Union Territory which provide support to such anti-national forces.
He said the sacrifice of the security officials would not go waste and the militants would have to pay with their blood for trying to spread terrorism in J&K.
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