Encounter breaks out with terrorists in Kashmir’s Bandipora, operation underway | Latest News India

An encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in North Kashmir’s Nagmarg area on Tuesday.

Two to three terrorists are believed to be trapped after a gunbattle erupted during a joint cordon and search operation by security forces, following intelligence about their presence in the area.

“On 12 Nov 24, based on specific intelligence input regarding presence of terrorists, a Joint Operation launched by Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police in general area Nagmarg of Bandipora. Suspicious activity was observed by vigilant troops and on being challenged terrorists opened indiscriminate fire. Own troops effectively retaliated. Operation is in progress,” Srinagar 15 Corps wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Earlier on Sunday, a junior commissioner officer (JCO) with the army’s 2 Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) was killed in action during a gunfight with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district.

Naib Subedar Rakesh Kumar was a resident of Barnog village in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh. The JCO is survived by his wife Bhanupriya, their children – daughter Yashshwini (13) and son Pranav (7) – and Bhati Devi, his 90-year-old mother.

The area where Sunday’s encounter took place lies between Keshwan and Kuntwara, called Gidri Top, near Chas. Gidri Top is around 5km from Pondgwari rivulet, surrounded by dense forest and hills, where the bodies of two guards were found on Friday morning. The distance from Ohli Kuntwara to Munzla Dhar is around 4.5km. However, it is a steep climb of almost 90 degrees.

This year, 16 security personnel, 10 civilians and three VDGs have died in separate attacks in Jammu. Security forces have also gunned down 13 terrorists in the region. In Kashmir, nine personnel and 15 civilians have died in terror attacks. Security forces have killed 24 terrorists in the Valley in the same period.