Infiltrator killed in Kupwara; Rajouri anti-militancy operation under way: Police

Arms, ammunition and grenade recovered after an encounter between terrorists and security forces, in Rajouri district on Sunday, August 6, 2023. An unidentified terrorist was killed on Saturday in the initial exchange of fire with the security forces during a cordon-and-search operation.
| Photo Credit: PTI

One infiltrator was killed by the security forces close to the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir’s Kupwara on Sunday. Meanwhile, the body of a militant killed in an ongoing encounter that started on Saturday was recovered from Rajouri.

A police spokesman said the Army and the Kupwara police in a joint operation foiled an infiltration bid by neutralising a terrorist on the LoC in Amrohi area of the Tangdhar Sector in Kupwara.

“Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition, were recovered. A search operation is in progress,” the police said.

In the Pir Panjal valley’s Rajouri district, the body of a militant was recovered and another militant is believed to be holed up in Gundha village, where a joint operation was launched by the police, the Army and the Central Reserve Police Force on Saturday

“The slain terrorist could not be identified. But the shoes and the medicines recovered [from the encounter site] have Pakistani markings, which suggests that he could be a Pakistani. Besides, raincoats and eatables suggested that they intended to survive the jungles,” Additional Director General of Police, Jammu, Mukesh Singh said.

Mr. Singh said the operation was ongoing in the area. “One more terrorist might be hiding in the area. His bag has been recovered, containing arms and ammunition. So far, one AK-47, two pistols, magazines, ammunition, cash and other material have been seized. We will manage to neutralise the second terrorist soon,” Mr. Singh added.

The operation was launched following a tip-off about the movement of militants in Gundha-Khawas village of Rajouri district on Saturday.

“Special forces were brought in by the Indian Air Force helicopter, while night enabled quadcopter, unmanned aerial vehicles and sniffer dogs were also pressed into service,” Jammu-based Army spokesman Lt. Col. Suneel Bartwal said.

In an advisory, the police asked locals “not to visit the area and remain at a safe distance of at least two km outside the periphery of the area”.

Jammu and Kashmir saw three major anti-militancy operations in the past three days. Three soldiers and two militants were killed in these encounters.