Terrorist killed in joint operation, 3 hiding in Jammu’s Basantgarh area
By : Sandhya
An unidentified terrorist was killed during an anti-militancy operation under way in the Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Army said. Three more terrorists remain holed up in the hilly area, it added, as the operation was hindered by bad weather.
An Army spokesman said the terrorist was neutralised on Thursday evening. “The operation continues,” the spokesman of the Army’s White Knight Corps added.
According to the Army, a group of terrorists was tracked by a joint team of the Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police in Karoor nallah of Basantgarh, Udhampur on Thursday morning. The joint operation was “based on specific intelligence” and “a contact was established with terrorists,” the Army added.
Basantgarh is a hilly area intersected with rivers and streams, and terrorists use the tough terrain to cross over to the Chenab Valley.
The Army and the hiding terrorists exchanged heavy fire in the first hour of the contact. The anti-terrorist operation slowed down due to inclement weather.
“The terrorists are believed to be trapped in an ongoing encounter in Udhampur district. The contact was established around 8:30 a.m. but the weather was unfavourable,” Inspector-General of Police, Jammu Zone, Bhim Sen Tuti said.
Preliminary reports suggested that the terrorists could be affiliated to the Jaish-e-Muhammad and active in the region for many months.