Udhampur Encounter: Security Forces Widen Searches

Srinagar- Security forces on Tuesday intensified search operations in a forested village of Udhampur district in Jammu and Kashmir, a day after a Special Operations Group constable was killed during a gunfight with terrorists, officials said.

The encounter took place on Monday evening in Soan village of the Majalta area after police launched a search operation based on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists. During the initial exchange of fire, Constable Amjad Ali Khan of the 22nd Battalion of the Indian Reserve Police sustained critical injuries and later succumbed.

Inspector General of Police, Jammu Zone, Bhim Sen Tuti said the terrorists managed to flee towards a dense forest area after the gunfight.“There are three terrorists believed to be holed up in the forest. The operation is underway,” he told reporters in Udhampur.

Officials said one terrorist was believed to have been injured during the encounter, while two policemen sustained minor bullet wounds. The search operation was suspended overnight due to darkness and difficult terrain, and was resumed early Tuesday with additional reinforcements.

A joint team of the police Special Operations Group, the Army and the Central Reserve Police Force has further tightened the cordon in the area. Sniffer dogs and additional surveillance measures have been deployed to track the terrorists and block possible escape routes, officials said.

Police sources said the operation was launched following information about the movement of three terrorists, believed to be affiliated with the Pakistan based Jaish e Mohammad outfit. The Majalta and Basantgarh belt is considered a traditional infiltration route used by militants moving from the International Border in Kathua towards the interior districts of Jammu and onward to the Kashmir Valley.

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