Cop missing after Kathua gunfight found dead, toll 4

The body of a fourth policeman was found near the encounter site in Kathua district where three security personnel had been killed and an equal number of terrorists neutralised in a fierce gunfight on Thursday.

Advertisement

A drone camera spotted the officer’s body near the Ghati Juthana area. Retrieval operations faced significant challenges due to intermittent heavy gunfire and explosions, preventing security forces from recovering the body until late Friday evening.

The People's Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), a Pakistan-backed terror outfit affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), claimed responsibility for the attack through social media posts.

Initial intelligence indicated the presence of at least five terrorists who were first intercepted by a police team led by Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Dheeraj Katoch, who too sustained injuries during the encounter and is currently undergoing treatment at Government Medical College in Jammu. The three policemen killed on Thursday were identified as Tariq Ahmad of Reasi, Jaswant Singh of Hiranagar in Kathua and Balwinder Singh of Kanna Chak, Kathua. The identity of the fourth officer remains unconfirmed.

Security operations continue in the area, with the Army’s Para (Special Forces) and J&K Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) leading the effort against the heavily armed terrorists.

The militants are reported to be equipped with US-made M4 carbines and explosives, making the operation particularly challenging in the dense forest terrain.

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed condolences, honouring the sacrifice of the security personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty.