Terrorist killed in Kathua, J&K; operation still in progress

PTC News Desk: On Sunday, a terrorist was killed during an ongoing operation in a remote village of Kathua district, Jammu and Kashmir, bringing the death toll in the incident to two, according to officials. The body of the deceased terrorist was recovered from the site of the encounter in Kog-Mandli, located in Billawar tehsil, earlier this afternoon.

The operation, which has now extended into its second day, involves a comprehensive search of the village. Additional Director General of Police for the Jammu zone, Anand Jain, confirmed that the search was initiated on Saturday after intelligence suggested the presence of three to four foreign terrorists in the area.

The situation escalated on Saturday evening when terrorists opened fire on a joint security search party, resulting in the death of a police officer and injuries to two others. Head Constable Bashir Ahmad was killed in the attack, while a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and an Assistant Sub-Inspector sustained injuries. Fortunately, both injured officers are reported to be stable.

In a press briefing near the encounter site, Jain explained that the operation was triggered by reports of terrorists hiding in a specific house in the area, leading to an exchange of gunfire. Security forces have established a tight cordon around the entire locality as they continue to search for the remaining terrorists.

When questioned about the timing of these operations, particularly with the third phase of polls scheduled for October 1, Jain reiterated that efforts to combat terrorism would persist. He emphasised the commitment of the police to neutralize terrorist threats swiftly, stating, "We are receiving continuous information about terrorists and are conducting operations to neutralize them as soon as possible."

The operation remains ongoing as security forces work to ensure the safety of the region and address the terrorist presence in the area.