Special Forces airdropped to flush out ultra in Rajouri

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, August 6

Even as one terrorist was shot dead by security forces in an encounter in J&K’s Rajouri on Saturday, another was learnt to be holed up inside the forest area and the operation to neutralise him continued throughout Sunday, said officials.

Holed up in forest

• The ultra is holed up in a forest in Rajouri
• Another ultra shot in an encounter on Saturday
• Was in Army gear, hinting they planned to strike at military area

Personnel from the Army’s Special Forces were flown in and airdropped in Rajouri from where they rushed to the forest area along with specialised equipment. The police said the neutralised terrorist was a Pakistani national, identified from the marking on the medicines and the eatables he was carrying.

An Army official said the slain terrorist, who was firing at the security personnel, was detected through an unmanned aerial vehicle and shot dead. He was wearing Army uniform, which suggested he was likely planning to target a military area, the official said.

The encounter started on Saturday when the police at Khawas post received inputs about the presence of a group of armed terrorists. The police today said now only one terrorist was holed up inside the forest. Sources in the military establishment said additional troops of the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) were mobilised as the terrain was undulating and had thick vegetation.

Mukesh Singh, Additional Director General of Police of Jammu, said after receiving inputs about the presence of the terrorists, the area was cordoned off. “As the search operation was underway, the militants started firing, which was retaliated and one terrorist was killed,” he said.

GOC of Romeo Force, Major General Mohit Trivedi, said one AK rifle, five magazines and four hand grenades were recovered.

Meanwhile, the police in Rajouri issued an advisory on Sunday, asking people to stay away from the encounter scene to avoid any casualties.