Gunfire erupts in Kathua forest, 3 terrorists trapped

A police team came under fire from terrorists in a combing operation in Kathua district on Monday night, according to sources. The operation was underway in the Panjtirthi area of the Ramkote belt. In the wake of the violent encounter, a night cordon has been laid to ensure that the three terrorists trapped in the forest do not escape.

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Earlier in the day, a large-scale search operation was launched in Kathua after three suspected terrorists were spotted in a village. Locals reported the sighting to the police, prompting swift action by security forces.

According to sources, the three suspected terrorists entered the house of a resident at Rui village around 8 PM on Sunday. The village is close to Jakhole village, where an encounter took place on Thursday, resulting in the deaths of four policemen and two terrorists.

Officials suspected that two to three Pakistani terrorists had managed to escape from the encounter site and had been wandering in the forest without food or water.

Reports indicate that the police are closely monitoring Over Ground Workers (OGWs) who may attempt to provide food, water and logistical support to the fugitives.

The terrorists allegedly entered the home of Shankar Lal and demanded food. Only Lal and his wife were present there at the time. The terrorists forcibly took food and fled the scene. The couple were, however, unharmed.

Following the report, police and Army personnel reached the village and cordoned off the area.

Search operations are also underway in Udhampur and Reasi districts as part of the ongoing anti-terror operations. Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Rayees Mohammad Bhat is overseeing the operations.

Meanwhile, the Kathua police have detained six family members of an OGW who is already in jail in connection with an encounter. The OGW, identified as Mohammad Latief, is imprisoned under the Public Safety Act (PSA) for aiding Pakistani terrorists during last year’s Billawar attack on an Army convoy. The detained individuals were taken into custody by the the Special Operations Group (SOG) of J&K Police.