 "Kathua encounter: 3 cops killed, 3 terrorists shot dead in day-long gunfight")
Three Jammu and Kashmir policemen were martyred in a day-long encounter with Pakistani terrorists on Thursday in Kathua district, Times of India reported. In a fierce battle, three terrorists were also shot dead by security forces.
The clash began when security forces searching the Sufain forest came under fire from militants hiding in the area.
DSP Dheeraj Katoch, two other policemen, and an Army soldier from 1 PARA (Special Forces) were also injured. Security forces have cordoned off the area and deployed reinforcements.
Officials confirmed that the slain policemen included a head constable and two constables. Their bodies are yet to be retrieved as the operation is still ongoing. Grenades and rocket fire caused multiple explosions during the encounter.
“The gunfire continued throughout the day,” an official told Times of India. The official added that the wounded security personnel were taken to Kathua and Jammu hospitals, where they are reported to be in stable condition.
The attackers are believed to be the same group that escaped after a brief gunfight on Sunday evening near Sanyal village in the Hiranagar sector, close to the Pakistan border.
Sufain’s forests, where the encounter took place, are about 35km away from Sanyal.
Security forces had surrounded a remote mountain hut, commonly used by nomadic herders, where the terrorists were hiding. However, they managed to escape, leading to a massive manhunt across the region.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe search operation entered its fourth day, with the Army, NSG, BSF, CRPF, and J&K police using advanced surveillance tools, bulletproof vehicles, UAVs, drones, and sniffer dogs.
On Monday, search teams recovered four loaded M4 carbine magazines, two grenades, a bulletproof jacket, sleeping bags, tracksuits, and IED-making materials.
A major breakthrough came the next day when a woman in Dinga Amb village reported seeing two men in combat clothing asking for water. This prompted security forces to expand the search.
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