Amid a high-voltage election campaign in the Union Territory, anti-terror operations have been intensified in the Union Territory to foil any attempt of the terrorists to disrupt the democratic process.
During the last 12 hours, three terrorists have been neutralized by the security forces in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir, while two Army personnel lost their lives in the line of duty. Three terrorists were killed on Saturday in a gunfight in the Chak Tapper area of Kreeri in North Kashmir's Baramulla district.
According to initial reports, three terrorists have been neutralized in the ongoing encounter. Their identity will be ascertained once the operation concludes.
OP CHAK TAPAR, #Baramulla
— Chinar Corps? - Indian Army (@ChinarcorpsIA) September 14, 2024
Based on specific intelligence input regarding presence of terrorists, a Joint Operation was launched by #IndianArmy & @JmuKmrPolice on the intervening night of 13-14 Sep 24 in general area Chak Tapar Kreeri, Baramulla. Contact was established and… pic.twitter.com/JeUGEUt8VV
The operation, which was started late Friday evening, was halted for preventive measures and today earlier in the morning the operation was resumed. In the two-hour gunfight, three terrorists were eliminated by the security forces.
Injured soldiers succumbed to their injuries
Two soldiers, who were injured in Friday's encounter with terrorists in the Chhatroo area of the Kishtwar district, succumbed to their injuries.
The soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty have been identified as Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) Vipan Kumar, a resident of village Patrara in Sunderbani area of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir and Sepoy Arvind Singh of Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh.
As reported earlier, a gunfight broke out when a joint security party of the Army and police, acting on a tip-off, launched a cordon-and-search operation in Pingnad Naidgham in Chatroo area of Kishtwar district.
There was an exchange of fire between the search team of the security forces and the terrorists hiding in the Pingnad Naidgham located within the Chhatroo police station limits. Four Army personnel were injured in the gun battle and two of them later succumbed to the injuries.
"GOC (General Officer Commanding) White Knight Corps and all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of the Bravehearts; offer deepest condolences to the families," the Army said.
The encounter comes two days after the Army, in a successful operation, neutralized two Pakistani terrorists affiliated with the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit in the higher reaches of Basantgarh in Udhampur district.
Tension flares up in Kishtwar after terror strike
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Chenab region, tension flared up in the Kishtwar district after the terror incident in the Chhatroo area.
Keeping in view the ongoing election campaign in this region, which is going for the poll on September 18, Friday's terror attack has created fear among the residents of this mountainous region.
With heightened security concerns, a multi-tier security grid has been deployed across both Doda and Kishtwar districts to ensure smooth elections in this part of the Union Territory.
After Friday's terror incident in the Chhatroo area, additional forces have been rushed into the higher reaches of Kishtwar town to track down the terrorists involved in the incident.
