2 JeM terrorists killed, 8 security personnel injured in encounter in J&K's Reasi district
Two JeM terrorists were killed and eight security personnel injured Thursday in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district, a day after they fired on a police party here and escaped, officials said.
A gunbattle with a third militant is underway, they said.
The encounter broke out after security forces, comprising CRPF, police and Army personnel, during a cordon and search operation, zeroed in on a location near a house in the district's Kakriyal area, and surrounded the terrorists, the officials said.
Drones and choppers were used in the operation, which was launched Wednesday to track the three Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) militants, aged between 18 and 22 years, they said.
Two terrorists were killed and eight security personnel, including Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mohan Lal, injured, police said.
Five CRPF personnel and three policemen were injured during the operation, they said, adding that they were admitted to the Narayana hospital in Katra.
The cordon and search operation to track down the terrorists was launched in the Jhajjar-Kotli forest belt in Jammu and Reasi district after the militants fired on the security personnel on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway Wednesday, the officials said.
The militants after the incident had fled into the forest belt of which Kakriyal is a part.
During the operation, security agencies were informed by a villager that the militants had taken food and clothes and left his house on Wednesday night, a senior police official said.
Speaking to reporters, the villager said, "They came to my house at 8 pm and demanded clothes to change from their(combat) dress. They demanded food. They ate biscuits and drank water and left around 9.10 pm."
The terrorists also demanded a vehicle, but "we told them, we do not have one," the villager said, adding that they were asked to switch-off their mobile phones.
The official said the family immediately informed the police after the terrorists left.
The CRPF, the police and the army along with personnel from other security agencies are combing the area, he said.
The official said areas and check posts along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway are on alert. More checkpoints have been created and vehicles are being searched and passengers frisked, he said.
"The Jhajjar-Kotli forest belt and adjoining areas have been put under a massive cordon," the official said.
Traffic movement on the highway, between Nagrota and Jhajjar-Kotli, has been suspended and schools in the area have been closed for the day. PTI
