Militants involved in Poonch encounter present in area for 2 to 3 months, says Police

Massive search operation underway in Poonch, Rajouri

Officials said security forces continued a large search operation in a wooded area connecting the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, where five troops, including a JCO, were killed in a gunfight the day before.

“During the current operation in the deep forest areas of Surankote in Poonch and adjoining Thanamandi in Rajouri, there was no new contact with terrorists,” officials added.

Five troops, including a JCO, were killed early Monday in a village near Dera Ki Gali (DKG) in Surankote “when a group of heavily-armed militants opened fire on an army search mission.”

“After the initial encounter, the terrorists fled to the surrounding Panghai forest, which is under Rajouri’s Thanamandi jurisdiction, where they were pursued by troops and engaged in a second encounter,” officials added.

“The shootout between the two sides came to an end Monday evening after the terrorists took advantage of the dense forest and fled,” officials stated, adding that “the entire forest belt has been cordoned off and a search operation to neutralise the hiding terrorists is underway.”

Senior police and army officers were also dispatched to the area to oversee the operation, according to officials.

An Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police counter-terrorist operation was launched in the area of Shahdara, close the Poonch-Rajouri district boundary, on the night of October 10 and 11, according to a defence spokesman.

“During the course of the operation, terrorists opened fire on Army troops, killing one JCO and four soldiers,” a defence spokesman said in a statement.

He named Naib Subedar (JCO) Jaswinder Singh, a Sena Medal recipient, Naik Mandeep Singh, Sepoys Gajjan Singh, Saraj Singh, and Vaisakh H. as soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

Since June this year, infiltration efforts in the Pir Panjal region’s twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch have increased, resulting in the deaths of nine militants in separate confrontations. In previous operations, three soldiers were also killed.

Meanwhile, in Poonch town, a group of youths staged an anti-Pakistan protest following the killing of Indian army soldiers.

According to police, the youth, largely from the Sikh community, also set fire to an effigy of Pakistan for its continuous support of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

“We strongly condemn Pakistan’s ongoing backing for terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. One of the demonstrators, Kamaljeet Singh, stated, “The time has come for the Indian government to teach Pakistan a lesson for sending terrorists who are killing innocent civilians and our jawans.” Meanwhile, the terrorists engaged in the attack on security forces in Poonch district, in which five army troops, including a JCO, were killed, were in the area for two to three months, according to Jammu and Kashmir Police.

Vivek Gupta, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) for the Rajouri-Poonch range, informed reporters that the “terrorists have been limited to a specific location” and that the operation will be brought to a “logical conclusion in the shortest time.”

“On Monday, security forces conducted a cordon and search operation after terrorists assaulted a party that was part of CASO, killing five army men,” Gupta added.

“There was interaction with a group of terrorists at another site,” the DIG stated later. Due to the topography of the area, there was no more progress in the operation.”

When asked if the attackers had recently invaded, he claimed the “group had been present in the area for two to three months.” The belt where the contact and the attack happened is the same belt.”

As part of the operation, the joint parties have cordoned off the area, according to the police officer. He stated, “We are optimistic that it will be brought to a logical end in the shortest possible period.”

When asked how many militants are suspected to be participating, he said they have an estimate but won’t reveal it because of the ongoing operation.

He further denied that the militants were receiving any support from the local community.

He stated that the operation follows a specific strategy, adding that “previous operations in these belts took a certain amount of time, but we were successful in eliminating terrorists.”

(With inputs from PTI.)