Lashkar Terrorists Likely Trapped As Encounter Underway In J&K's Reasi

An encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in Chasana area of Reasi district in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday. According to the preliminary information by sources, one of the Lashkar terrorists is likely to be severely injured in the gunfight.

As per the information, a group of Lashkar terrorists are likely to be trapped in the fight. Additional forces are being rushed to the encounter spot, sources reported.

According to the police, the security forces established the contact with the hiding terrorists and a few rounds following which several gunshots were fired from both sides. The area has been cordoned off as the encounter is underway.

The Reasi Police said that based on specific intelligence about presence of terrorist, a joint search operation was launched by Security forces at the Shikari area (J/D of P/S Chassana) Reasi at around 1pm today.

There was no report of any casualty, they said and added that a hunt for the terrorists was underway.

Earlier, three terrorists were killed last week following an overnight gunbattle with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Commander of the Army’s 10 Sector Rashtriya Rifles Brigadier Sanjay Kannoth had said that security forces had been receiving inputs about the movement of terrorists in Kreeri. “Last night, we received specific intelligence from intelligence agencies about the presence of some unidentified terrorists in Chak Tapar/Watargam,” he had said, adding that a cordon was established at the suspected location.

“Our columns were fired upon by the terrorists hiding in a disused building. As per the standard operating procedures, we returned the fire. The location was cordoned and reinforcements were inducted,” Brig Kannoth had said.

He had further informed that the terrorists continued with incessant heavy firing on the troops throughout the night which was effectively countered.

In another incident, an encounter broke out in a remote village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district when security forces launched a cordon and search operation following information about the presence of terrorists, an official had said on Sunday.

The erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir is undergoing legislative assembly elections. The first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir polls saw men outnumbering women in casting votes by over 4.79 percentage points, the Election Commission said on Friday while issuing revised figures with voter turnout rising to 61.38 per cent from 61.11 per cent earlier.

The first phase of polls covered 24 seats across seven districts. Polling for the second and third phases will occur on September 25 and October 1, respectively, with vote counting scheduled for October 8.

The Assembly elections, the first in a decade, follow the significant constitutional changes of August 2019 when New Delhi revoked J&K’s special status under Article 370 and downgraded the state into two Union Territories.