Jammu: Another Pakistani terrorist was shot dead and a soldier injured on Wednesday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district, a day after an encounter broke out in the remote Narla village between security forces and terrorists fleeing their hideout after one member of the armed outfit was slain in a fierce gunfight, which also claimed the lives of a soldier and an Army dog. Three security personnel, including a special police officer, were also wounded in Tuesday’s fire exchange.
A huge cache of arms and ammunition, including “two AK series rifles and packs with administrative and logistic stores”, besides assorted edibles and medicines in bags bearing Pakistan markings were recovered from the site of the encounter, said an official, adding that the slain terrorists had been tasked with stepping up terrorism in the twin frontier districts of Rajouri and Poonch.
“Based on intelligence inputs being received since the last operation on September 4, wherein one terrorist was killed, large-scale operations had been in progress in the region to keep terrorists on the run,” Brigadier Soumeet Patnaik, Commander, 14 Sector RR, said at a press conference on Wednesday. “Multiple columns from the Army, J&K Police and paramilitary forces were mobilised to cover the areas where terrorists had been sighted by villagers and security forces continued to remain on the trail of the terrorists,” Brig Patnaik said.
“On September 7, input was received about two unidentified individuals carrying bags in Rajouri’s Mathiyani Gala area, based on which an operation was launched jointly by the Army, J&K Police and other intelligence agencies,” he said, adding, “On September 11, two unidentified individuals with bags were again spotted by the patrol party in the jungle around 6.30pm. On being challenged, the suspects started running taking advantage of poor visibility and adverse weather conditions. On visual confirmation of them carrying weapons, security forces fired at the duo and likely injured one of them.”
The area was cordoned off and a joint operation was launched with the help of night vision-enabled surveillance devices to prevent the terrorists from escaping. “Early on September 12 (Tuesday), during a search of the area, a bag left behind by the terrorists was found which contained Pakistani brand medicines among other things. Army dog Kent was employed to follow the trail of the terrorists, but after some distance, the trail was lost because of rains,” Brig Patnaik said.
“The search parties, however, continued in the general direction and after some distance, some blood was found. Kent picked up this trail and the search party started closing in on the suspects. Seeing the security forces approach, the holed-up terrorists opened fire at point-blank range around 3.15pm. The first burst of gunfire hit Kent, her handler, and another soldier. A heavy firefight ensued, in which the joint forces killed one terrorist,” the officer said. While one of the wounded soldiers and Kent died, the other three injured security personnel were evacuated to the military hospital.
“Around 10am on September 13 (Wednesday), the second terrorist was spotted, and the gun battle resumed, during which another soldier was injured. Around 11.30am, this terrorist was also killed,” Brig Patnaik said.
Later in the day, GOC-in-C Northern Command Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi said that despite facing internal strife, Pakistan had been making incessant efforts to push foreign terrorists into J&K to hinder the progress in the region’s internal security. He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the North Tech Symposium at IIT-Jammu.
The ever-vigilant Indian Army — guarding both LoC and LAC in 24×7 operation-ready mode — would not allow any attempt to disrupt peace in J&K, Lt Gen Dwivedi said, adding: “It is evident from the fact that 46 terrorists, including top commanders, have been killed this year and for the first time, the number of foreign terrorists killed (37) is four times higher than local terrorists.”
A huge cache of arms and ammunition, including “two AK series rifles and packs with administrative and logistic stores”, besides assorted edibles and medicines in bags bearing Pakistan markings were recovered from the site of the encounter, said an official, adding that the slain terrorists had been tasked with stepping up terrorism in the twin frontier districts of Rajouri and Poonch.
“Based on intelligence inputs being received since the last operation on September 4, wherein one terrorist was killed, large-scale operations had been in progress in the region to keep terrorists on the run,” Brigadier Soumeet Patnaik, Commander, 14 Sector RR, said at a press conference on Wednesday. “Multiple columns from the Army, J&K Police and paramilitary forces were mobilised to cover the areas where terrorists had been sighted by villagers and security forces continued to remain on the trail of the terrorists,” Brig Patnaik said.
“On September 7, input was received about two unidentified individuals carrying bags in Rajouri’s Mathiyani Gala area, based on which an operation was launched jointly by the Army, J&K Police and other intelligence agencies,” he said, adding, “On September 11, two unidentified individuals with bags were again spotted by the patrol party in the jungle around 6.30pm. On being challenged, the suspects started running taking advantage of poor visibility and adverse weather conditions. On visual confirmation of them carrying weapons, security forces fired at the duo and likely injured one of them.”
The area was cordoned off and a joint operation was launched with the help of night vision-enabled surveillance devices to prevent the terrorists from escaping. “Early on September 12 (Tuesday), during a search of the area, a bag left behind by the terrorists was found which contained Pakistani brand medicines among other things. Army dog Kent was employed to follow the trail of the terrorists, but after some distance, the trail was lost because of rains,” Brig Patnaik said.
“The search parties, however, continued in the general direction and after some distance, some blood was found. Kent picked up this trail and the search party started closing in on the suspects. Seeing the security forces approach, the holed-up terrorists opened fire at point-blank range around 3.15pm. The first burst of gunfire hit Kent, her handler, and another soldier. A heavy firefight ensued, in which the joint forces killed one terrorist,” the officer said. While one of the wounded soldiers and Kent died, the other three injured security personnel were evacuated to the military hospital.
“Around 10am on September 13 (Wednesday), the second terrorist was spotted, and the gun battle resumed, during which another soldier was injured. Around 11.30am, this terrorist was also killed,” Brig Patnaik said.
Later in the day, GOC-in-C Northern Command Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi said that despite facing internal strife, Pakistan had been making incessant efforts to push foreign terrorists into J&K to hinder the progress in the region’s internal security. He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the North Tech Symposium at IIT-Jammu.
The ever-vigilant Indian Army — guarding both LoC and LAC in 24×7 operation-ready mode — would not allow any attempt to disrupt peace in J&K, Lt Gen Dwivedi said, adding: “It is evident from the fact that 46 terrorists, including top commanders, have been killed this year and for the first time, the number of foreign terrorists killed (37) is four times higher than local terrorists.”
About The Author
