Fierce gun-battle in Rajouri; two soldiers killed in action, two PAK terrorists eliminated [details]

The search operation, which launched on June 29 in the Sundarbani sector of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, resulted in a fierce gun battle on Thursday after troops established contact with Pakistan terrorists.

Defence spokesman said, "Based on information regarding infiltration and movement of terrorists in the area of Dadal, Sundarbani sector, district Rajouri, the Army had launched extensive search operations with effect from June 2021. Subsequently, the information was corroborated on July 8, and a search and destroy patrol seeking proactive engagement with the terrorists was launched. Terrorists were spotted in the Dadal forest area and challenged by the search party."

"The terrorists opened fire and lobbed hand grenades leading to a fierce encounter in which two foreign terrorists from Pakistan have been killed. Two AK-47 rifles and ammunition in heavy quantity have been recovered from the terrorists. In the operation, Nb Sub Sreejith M and Sep Maruprolu Jaswanth Reddy received fatal injuries. A detailed search of the area continues, Defence spokesman added.

Infiltrator bid foiled in the same area on July 7

Thursday's fierce encounter took place a day after the Army had foiled the attempt of a group of Pakistani terrorists to infiltrate the Indian side from the Line of Control (LoC) in the Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district.

One infiltrator was killed during an infiltration attempt on the LoC. Arms and ammunition were also recovered from the spot.

Four terrorists killed in two encounters in Kashmir

According to police, during the last 12 hours, two encounters took place in South Kashmir's Pulwama and Kulgam districts in which four terrorists got killed.

In Pulwama, during the intervening night, based on specific input about the presence of terrorists in Puchal area of Pulwama, a joint cordon and search operation was launched. During the search operation as the presence of terrorists got ascertained they were given repeated opportunities to surrender, however, they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter.

In the ensuing encounter, two terrorists were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter. They have been identified as Kifayat Ramzan Sofi son of Mohammad Ramzan Sofi resident of Padgampora Awantipora affiliated terror outfit LeT and Inayat Ahmad Dar son of Abdul Ahad Dar resident of Samboora Pulwama affiliated with proscribed terror outfit Al-Badr.

Two terrorists were killed in Zadora Qazigund in Pulwama. Identities of killed terrorists have been established as Nasir Ahmad Pandith, Mohd Ayoub resident of Redwani Kulgam, and Shahbaz Ahmad Shah son of Ghulam Hassan Shah resident of Katrusu Kulgam, both affiliated with proscribed terror outfit LeT.