J&K Terrorist Attack: Jawan Killed After Security Personnel Neutralized Terrorist

Preceding these confrontations, just days earlier, a tragic incident unfolded when a bus ferrying pilgrims was targeted in Reasi, leading to a devastating crash that claimed the lives of nine passengers.

Anand Jain, the Additional Director General of Police overseeing anti-terror operations in Kathua, provided insights into these encounters earlier today. Regarding the Doda incident, he reported that terrorists initiated gunfire at a joint police and Rashtriya Rifles team stationed at an army base in the Chattargala area late last night. A standoff persists between security forces and the terrorists in the higher terrains, he confirmed.

According to police reports, two terrorists were involved in the assault in Kathua, with one of them being eliminated. Security forces are currently employing drone technology to locate the remaining assailant in the Hiranagar area of Kathua.

The terrorists’ suspicious behavior, including requesting water from multiple households, aroused the villagers’ suspicions, leading to gunfire when some residents raised an alarm. Mr. Jain clarified that aside from one civilian sustaining injuries, there were no casualties in the Kathua attack, dismissing rumors of multiple deaths.

The deceased security force personnel in the encounter belonged to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). ADGP Jain categorized the Kathua attack as a “fresh infiltration,” insinuating involvement from across the border without explicitly naming Pakistan. He remarked, “It is our hostile neighbor who always endeavors to disrupt the peaceful environment within our borders. This incident in Hiranagar appears to be a recent infiltration.”

These incidents underscore the heightened state of alertness in Jammu, where attacks have occurred in areas traditionally considered secure from terrorist activities. Just prior to these events, a bus en route to the Shiv Khori cave temple was targeted in Reasi. The assailants opened fire after the bus driver refused to comply with their demands, resulting in a tragic accident as the bus veered off into a gorge. Officials have attributed this attack to directives from Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Abu Hamza.