Jammu and Kashmir: After Kupwara, Encounter Breaks Out In Rajouri

A gunfight started between security forces and terrorists in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir early Thursday, hours after an encounter raged on in the Tanghdar area of north Kashmir's Kupwara.

Rajouri: A gunfight broke out between security forces and terrorists in the Lathi-Dardiya area in Khawas tehsil of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir early Thursday morning. An official said that a search operation was launched in the area after information about suspicious movement.

He said during the Cordon and Search Operation, contact was established with the hiding terrorists. "The firefight is going on. Two to three terrorists are believed to be trapped in the area," the official said.

Giving more details, a police spokesperson said the search operation was launched by security forces in village Kheri Mohra Lathi and Danthal in Rajouri district at 2130 hours on Wednesday night following suspected terrorist movement.

During the search operation, at around 2345 hours, a contact was established with terrorists, leading to an exchange of fire between the militants and security forces near Kheri Mohra area, the spokesperson added.

Security forces also fired a few shots of tracer rounds to illuminate the area, they said. On Monday night, a group of Village Defence Guards (VDGs) noticed two unidentified persons near a house in Meira-Nagrota village in Rajouri district and fired into the air. Following this, a search operation was initiated by security forces in the area.

The Rajouri encounter broke out shortly after a gunfight ensued between militants and security forces near the Line of Control in the Tangdhar area of north Kashmir's Kupwara district.

Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a spike in militant activity in the last few months with Jammu region turning out to be the epicentre of such encounters, a development that has alarmed the security grid in the erstwhile state. Gunfights after gunfights have taken place in the Pir Panjal region leading to several casualties to armed forces.

Security forces say that militants have shifted base from Kashmir and taken shelter in the forest ranges of the Jammu region particularly in Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar and Kathua after a major crackdown was launched in the Kashmir valley against militants, their OGWs following the abrogation of Article 370.

Compared to the Kashmir valley, the Army has suffered many casualties in the Jammu region after militants ambushed and attacked the forces in the division.

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