An encounter broke out between security forces and militants in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district on Tuesday night, marking the third militant incident in the erstwhile state within the past three days.
The clash began when a check post manned by the 4 Rashtriya Rifles and police in the Chatergala area of Doda came under fire, prompting the security personnel to retaliate.
Additional Director General of Police Anand Jain has confirmed that a gunfight is currently ongoing.
This development follows an earlier militant encounter where a militant was killed after an attack at a residence in J&K’s Saida village, Kathua district, last evening.
Sources report that militants forcibly entered the house and demanded water. Upon seeing the militants, the father and son residing there fled, prompting the militants to open fire.
In the meantime, a Special Operation Group of the Jammu and Kashmir Police arrived at the scene and engaged the militants, resulting in the death of one militant in a nearby nullah. The operation is still underway.
Furthermore, a joint operation by police and paramilitary forces to neutralize the remaining militants who may be holed up in the area is in progress.
This follows an incident on Sunday in the Reasi district where militants attacked a bus carrying pilgrims from the Shiv Khori temple to Katra, resulting in the deaths of nine individuals and injuring 41 others as the bus veered off the road and fell into a deep gorge.
The J&K Police have released a sketch of one of the militants allegedly involved in the attack and announced a reward of Rs 20 lakh for any information leading to his capture.
Extensive efforts are underway to track down the militants, with 11 teams of security personnel deployed on the ground and a multi-directional cordon established around the Ranso-Poni-Treyath belt, as per officials.
