Three army personnel and one police officer were injured during an encounter with terrorists in the Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, according to a senior police official on Saturday. Fortunately, the condition of the injured personnel is reported to be stable.
Details of the Encounter
According to police reports, security forces received intelligence late Friday night regarding the movement of terrorists in the Arigam area. Upon arrival, the security forces were met with gunfire, leading to an exchange and subsequent encounter.
Statement from the Inspector General of Police
Kashmir Inspector General of Police (IGP) VK Birdi provided an update on the situation, stating, “The security forces received information yesterday late at night regarding the movement of terrorists in the Arigam area. When the security forces reached, they started firing, and there was an exchange of fire. After that, an encounter began and is underway right now. Three security personnel and one police officer have minor injuries. They are stable. The operation is ongoing and will take some time to conclude. More details will come after the operation concludes.”
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Security Arrangements for Upcoming Elections
As the third phase of elections approaches in the territory, IGP Birdi highlighted that the Jammu and Kashmir Police have made all necessary arrangements. “The J-K police has made all arrangements for the upcoming phase of the elections. The elections will be held in five districts of North Kashmir. All preparations are complete,” he added.
Ongoing Operations and Election Context
The encounter in the Adigam Devsar area of Kulgam district continued into Saturday morning. Based on specific intelligence, the Chinar Corps of the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a joint operation in the area. This development coincides with the ongoing assembly polls in the territory, which are being conducted in three phases.
The first phase of assembly polls was held on September 18, followed by the second phase on September 25, covering six districts in the Ganderbal, Budgam, Srinagar, and Jammu regions: Rajouri, Reasi, and Poonch. The third and final phase of polling is scheduled for October 1, with vote counting taking place on October 8. These elections mark a significant moment for the Union Territory, occurring after a gap of ten years and being the first since the abrogation of Article 370.