Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir, a major encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists near an army installation on Friday.
Officials informed that two terrorists were gunned down in the firing, while one jawan lost his life and four others sustained injuries.
The incident took place at the Sunjwan cantonment area in Jammu city following the launch of a pre-dawn operation by the security forces. Police said that they had received information about a possible terrorist attack in the city.
However, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) said that the gunmen had targeted a bus carrying its personnel in which an Assistant Sub Inspector was martyred.
Chief of police of Jammu and Kashmir, Dilbag Singh told NDTV, “Two terrorists have been killed in the Sunjwan encounter. Terrorists holed up at Sunjwan were planning a major attack. The aim was to inflict maximum casualties on security forces.”
The terrorists attacked a bus carrying 15 personnel in the morning, according to a CISF officer. He said, “The CISF retaliated effectively and forced the terrorists to flee. One CISF officer was killed and two others injured in action.”
The fresh attacks come just two days ahead of PM Modi’s scheduled visit to the region on Sunday. The presence of terrorists nearby military installations in the city has risen major security concerns as the Prime Minister visits for the first time since the abrogation of Article-370, revoking the special status in August 2019.
PM Modi is scheduled to address a major rally which will be attended by Panchayat members in thousands at Palli village. Security in the region has been beefed up ahead of the significant visit.
Meanwhile, additional director general of police in Jammu and Kashmir, Mukesh Singh said, “We cordoned off the area during the night after we received an input that terrorists are hiding here and planning some action. In the morning, there was firing on the cordon, in which one security forces personnel was killed, and four others are injured. The encounter is going on.”:
Notably, three terrorists were killed by security forces in the Baramulla district including a top commander of the banned outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba yesterday.