Gunfight breaks out between security forces and terrorists in J&K’s Udhampur

Jammu, April 9 (IANS) A gunfight started on Wednesday between joint security forces and the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district.

Officials said the security forces moved in after getting specific intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists in the Jopher village of the district under the jurisdiction of the Ramnagar police station.

“As the teams of police and the security forces moved in, they were fired upon by the terrorists triggering an encounter, which is now going on,” the officials said.

Further details were awaited.

It must be mentioned that on March 23 an encounter took place in the Sanyal village of Kathua district, barely 4 km inside the International Border. The encounter spread to Safiyan Jakhole village, where two terrorists were killed, and four policemen also died. The joint forces extended the area under the ‘seek and destroy’ operation to higher reaches of the Kathua and Rajouri districts.

There was a brief exchange of gunfire between the security forces and the terrorists in the Billawar area of the Kathua district. Reports said five terrorists had infiltrated into the Indian side of the International Border, and the same group was engaged in a gunfight in Sanyal and Safiyan Jakhole villages. Two terrorists were killed in the Safiyan Jakhole area.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a security review meeting in Srinagar on Tuesday. He gave clear orders to eradicate terrorism from the union territory completely and restore complete peace.

The Union home minister appreciated the role of the Army and the security forces while emphasising the necessity to ensure zero infiltration and zero tolerance to terrorism.

The high-level security review meeting chaired by Amit Shah was attended by Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Army commander of northern command Suchindra Kumar, GoCs of all corps in J&K, DGP and chiefs of paramilitary forces.

–IANS

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