1 CRPF Jawan killed, 6 Injured In Two Encounters In JK; Jaish-Linked Terror Group Claims Responsibility For Doda Attack

A CRPF jawan was killed and six security personnel were injured in two overnight encounters with terrorists in Kathua and Doda districts of Jammu and Kashmir.  In Doda district, five army soldiers and one special police officer were injured after terrorists opened fire at the Army’s Temporary Operating Base (TOB) on Wednesday. The terrorists targeted a joint checkpost manned by the 4 Rashtriya Rifles and police forces in the upper reaches of Chattergalla on the Bhaderwah-Pathankot road. Additional Director General of Police Anand Jain confirmed the attack, highlighting the swift response from security personnel who engaged in a fierce gunfight to counter the threat. In the gunfight, a terrorist was also neutralised.

On the other hand, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan Kabir Dass was critically injured in a firing by a terrorist holed up in Kathua district’s Saida Sukhal village around 3 am, officials said, adding the soldier was shifted to a hospital where he succumbed to injuries during treatment.

In response to the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, ADGP Anand Jain said, “It is our hostile neighbour who always tries to damage the peaceful environment in our country. This Hiranagar terror attack appears to be a fresh infiltration. The one terrorist has been killed; the search for the other is also underway.”

#WATCH | Jammu and Kashmir: Search operation underway in Bhaderwah, Doda as an encounter is underway between security forces and terrorists in Chattargala area of Doda.

(Visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/AyaBVYQDXR

— ANI (@ANI) June 12, 2024

About the operation in Kathua’s Saida Sukhal village, ADGP (Jammu zone) Anand Jain said, “Two terrorists, who appeared to have freshly infiltrated (from across the border), surfaced in the village around 8 pm and asked for water from a household. The people got frightened, and as soon as information was received, a police team rushed to the village.”

“One of the terrorists tried to hurl a grenade at the police team and was killed in the exchange of fire, while the second terrorist is reported to be hiding in the village,” Jain said, adding an assault rifle and a rucksack were recovered from the slain terrorist whose identity and group affiliation were being ascertained.

Kashmir Tigers Claim Responsibility for the Attack

Following the attack, the Kashmir Tigers terror group claimed responsibility through a statement. “Kashmir Tigers claim responsibility for the attack in Chattergala area of Doda. Mujahideen of Kashmir Tigers attacked a joint Naka party of Indian Army and Jammu Police in Chattergala area of Doda. Several Indian personnel were killed in the attack, five Indian Army personnel and one Jammu Police personnel were injured. This war will continue till Freedom of Kashmir.” After Reasi and Kathua, this is the third terror attack in the last three days in the Jammu region.

The two overnight incidents come just days after terrorists attacked a bus carrying pilgrims from the Shiv Khori temple to Katra, causing it to veer off the road and fall into a deep gorge, resulting in the death of nine people and injuries to 41 others.

Meanwhile efforts were being made to flush out the other holed-up terrorist who is believed to have infiltrated from across the border. Senior police officers led by the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) are at the scene of the encounter. Police said the area has been cordoned off, and a house-to-house search is underway with the assistance of the CRPF.