Encounter breaks out between security forces, terrorists; 7-year-old girl injured

An encounter broke out between security forces and a group of four to five terrorists, believed to be of Jaish-e-Mohammad terror outfit, in Sanyal area of Kathua district on Sunday evening, said people familiar with the development.

- Ravi Krishnan Khajuria

JAMMU: Sanyal village is around 5 kms from Indo-Pak international border.

The encounter started when the special operations group of Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a search operation in the nursery in Sanyal village, one-and-a-half kilometres from the border in Hiranagar sector, after receiving information in the evening about the presence of terrorists in the area, the officials said. They said the hiding terrorists opened heavy fire on the police party, which retaliated. There was no report of any casualty in the initial exchange of fire, which went on for nearly half an hour, officials added.

"A man identified as Ganesh Dass and his wife Anita had gone inside a forest near the village to collect wood. The couple was encountered by armed men wearing black coloured track suits. The couple somehow managed to flee from there and raised the alarm once they reached the village," said Ram Lal Kalia, a village defence guard. Army, BSF and special operations group have been mobilised to the site of encounter. Director general of police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat is at the spot and supervising the anti-terrorist operation, they said.

"It appears to be a freshly infiltrated group of terrorists. The forest where the encounter has erupted is close to the international border," said an intelligence official.