Security forces, terrorists exchange fire in Kishtwar

A brief encounter on Thursday took place between security forces and a group of terrorists. It is suspected that the same group has been involved in multiple encounters and killing of two soldiers on September 13 in Kishtwar district.

A search operation was launched in the Chatroo forest area of the district, where many encounters have taken place in the recent past, after the police received an intelligence input. Units of the Army and Special Operations Group of the J&K Police were deployed in the area to search for terrorists, who as per intelligence were Pakistanis.

As the security forces proceeded with the searches in the forest under the jurisdiction of the Chatroo police station in Kishtwar, ultras opened gunfire which led to an encounter. Searches were continued in the area, but the terrorists likely had local help, who helped them in hiding in the forest.

Sources said after a few rounds of firing, the terrorists managed to escape from the spot, but a cordon had been laid around the forest area. The security forces are chasing these terrorists for a long time now.

It is pertinent to mention here that in an encounter on September 13, two Army personnel, including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), were killed, while two others were injured in an encounter with terrorists in Chatroo.

Sources in the Army intelligence said that many terrorists from Kishtwar and adjoining Doda district had fled to Pakistan-occupied J&K (PoJK) in early 2000 and settled there. It has been learnt by the intelligence agencies that these ultras were making arrangements and providing local help for the ultras infiltrating from Pakistan into J&K.

On September 21, the security forces based on specific intelligence about the presence of terrorists, launched a joint search operation near the Danna Dhar forest area under the jurisdiction of the Kishtwar police station. Subsequently, an encounter ensued when terrorists were spotted in the forest.

The following day on September 22, security forces launched a search operation near the Danna Dhar forests in the upper reaches of the Chatroo area, where another encounter broke out.

Intelligence agencies believe that it might be the same group of terrorists, who are moving from one place to another within Kishtwar through the forests. Also, the role of over ground workers (OGWs) in hiding these terrorists and providing food to them has not been ruled out.