J&K on high alert after four terror strikes in three days

SRINAGAR: A high alert has been sounded in Jammu and Kashmir following four back-to-back militant attacks in three districts of Jammu region in three days and intelligence inputs of a possible fidayeen attack.

Two militants were killed in an encounter in Saida Sukhal village in Hira Naga sector, close to the International Border, in Kathua district. The encounter had started last night after militants barged into a house in the village and demanded food and water.

“The father-son duo present in the house grew suspicious and raised an alarm. As they attempted to escape, militants lobbed a grenade and fired gunshots,” ADGP Jammu Anand Jain said. The security men immediately launched a search operation. “During the operation, there was a gunfight. The firefight continued till today afternoon during which both militants were killed. One militant was killed last night while another was killed today,” the ADGP said.

While an encounter in Kathua village was on, militants attacked a joint patrol party of police and army at a checkpoint at Chattergala area in neighbouring Doda district at midnight.

DIG Ramban-Doda, Shridhar Patil said, “There was fire from militants and an exchange of gunfire continued for one-and-a-half hour”. Five Armymen and a police jawan were injured in the attack. They have been hospitalized. “Police and army have launched a search operation in the area, which is hilly and has dense forest area,” the DIG said.

Militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed linked ‘The Kashmir Tigers’ claimed responsibility for the attack. The third gunfight between militants and security forces erupted in mountainous Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir injuring a policeman A police official said based on an input, a joint search operation was launched by police, CRPF and army Tantra area of Doda district in the evening.

“As the security men were conducting a search operation, they came under fire from militants hiding in the area. The fire was returned by the troops, triggering an encounter,” he said.