Security forces foiled an attempt from across the border to disrupt the ongoing elections in Jammu and Kashmir by eliminating two terrorists on the border of Udhampur and Kathua districts of the Union Territory.
Jammu-based defence spokesperson Lt Col Suneel Bartwal said that two terrorists have been neutralized in the ongoing operation at Khandara Kathua by troops of Rising Star Corps and the operations were still in progress.
Earlier an encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in the upper reaches of Basantgarh in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.
The gunfight took place when troops of the first para of the Army along with police moved to Khandara top following information about the presence of a group of terrorists, reports said.
The hiding terrorists opened fire on the search parties around, prompting retaliation by the security forces.
Reinforcements were rushed to the forest area to neutralize the terrorists and in the two-hour-long gun battle, two terrorists were eliminated.
The area where two terrorists were neutralized was situated on the border of the Kathua and Udhampur districts.
It is believed that the killed terrorists were planning to disrupt the election process in Jammu and Kashmir in the direction of their mentors sitting across the border.
Polling in Kathua and Udhampur districts will be held on October 1, which is the third and final phase of the three-phased Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
In July terrorists ambushed an Army vehicle in this region
On July 9, terrorists ambushed an Army vehicle in this region situated on the border of Kathua, Udhampur, and Doda districts. That attack resulted in the tragic deaths of five soldiers.
The ambush occurred on the Machedi-Kindli-Malhar road near Badnota village in Lohai Malhar, Billawar, approximately 150 kilometers from the district headquarters of Kathua. The terrorists hurled grenades and opened fire on Army vehicles that were on a routine patrol.
After hurling grenades, the terrorists began indiscriminate firing on the vehicle," stated an officer involved in the operation.
The security forces retaliated, but the terrorists managed to escape into the nearby forest, using the dense vegetation to their advantage.
Pak violates ceasefire on IB, BSF trooper injured
In another incident, a Border Security Force (BSF) trooper was injured when Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing on Indian posts in violation of a ceasefire agreement along the International Border (IB) in the Akhnoor sector.
The BSF troops also retaliated but the casualties on the Pakistani side were not known immediately, reports said.
"At about 2.35 am, an incident of unprovoked firing in the Akhnoor area from across the border happened and which was befittingly responded to by the BSF. One BSF personnel sustained injuries in Pakistani firing," a spokesperson of the BSF said.
He said the troops are on high alert and keeping a strict vigil all along the International Border and Line of Control.
The latest ceasefire violation comes days ahead of the first phase of the three-phase assembly elections scheduled on September 18. The second phase of the elections will be held on September 25 followed by the third phase on October 1.
