In Jammu and Kashmir, the security forces today resumed the anti-terrorist operation in the remote forested area in the Kathua district a day after three terrorists and an equal number of policemen were killed in an encounter. Seven other security personnel, including an officer, were injured in the gun battle yesterday. After halting for the night, search parties moved from different directions with the first light of the day, with the primary focus on retrieving the bodies of the deceased, finding a missing policeman and neutralising any other threat. The security forces moved cautiously to the targeted area, but there was no response from the terrorist side, and it is believed that all of the attackers are dead. However, only three bodies of the terrorists could be sighted through drones, and the fate of two others remains unknown. The operation, centred near Jakhole village in the Ghati Juthana area of Rajbagh, against the terrorists started around 8 AM on Thursday amid intensified operations led by police against a group of suspected Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) ultras who had recently infiltrated from across the International Border in the Hiranagar sector. However, it was not immediately clear whether it was the same group that had been evading an earlier cordon in the Sanyal forest of Hiranagar or another batch of infiltrated terrorists. Three terrorists were killed in the onslaught led by the Special Operations Group (SOG) of J&K Police, assisted by the Army and CRPF.

Meanwhile, the People’s Anti-Fascist Front, a proxy outfit of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), claimed responsibility for the encounter.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today paid rich tributes to the police personnel who lost their lives in an ongoing encounter.