JCO Among 2 Killed During Encounter In Poonch, 2nd Officer To Die In Line Of Duty This Week
A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and a soldier have lost their lives in a counter-terrorist operation in the Nar Khas forest area, Mendhar sub-division of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district.
The two Indian army men were critically injured on Thursday evening and later succumbed to their injuries.
"In an ongoing counter-terrorist operation in general area Nar Khas forest in Mendhar sub-division there has been an exchange of fire between army troops and terrorists during evening hours today", PRO defence said.
According to the army, the counter-terrorist operation in the Nar Khas forest area is underway still.
Indian Army troops along with the Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police have launched a search operation in this dense forest.
According to police, vehicular traffic has been suspended on the highway between Bhimber Gali and Surankote due to the ongoing encounter.
Second major loss in the Indian Army
This is the second major loss the Indian Army has suffered in Poonch this week.
On Tuesday, October 12, five army personnel, including a JCO, were killed in an encounter in Dera Ki Gali (DKG) in Surankote area of Poonch district.
The Jammu and Kashmir police on Tuesday said terrorists involved in a recent attack on security forces in Poonch, were present in the area for the last two to three months.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Rajouri-Poonch range Vivek Gupta told reporters that the terrorists have been confined to a particular area.
"The group has been present in the area for two to three months," he said.
Several counter-terrorism operations and encounters have taken place in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch this year.
The attacks come at a time when the valley is seeing an increase in militant activity.
Last week, two school teachers at Sangam Eidgah in Srinagar district were shot dead by terrorists.
Just days before that two locals, including a Kashmir Pandit and a man from Bihar were gunned down by terrorists.
Makhan Lal Bindroo, a prominent Kashmiri Pandit businessman, a roadside vendor identified as Virendra Paswan, and Mohammad Shafi Lone, the president of the local taxi stand were killed in three separate, yet coordinated attacks.
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