New Delhi: A massive search operation is underway after a heavy exchange of fire in the Gagarmunda forest area of Anantnag in South Kashmir. Two army personnel and one civilian have been killed, and two army personnel and one civilian have been injured.
Three to four terrorists are present in the Gagarmunda forest area and they possibly came from Doda, the IG of Kashmir said.
The IGP of Kashmir reached the operation site along with top police and army officials and is monitoring the situation. The official stated that it appears a group of four to six terrorists is present in the area, and the police are investigating the role of civilians in how they were able to get so close to the terrorists.
Speaking to reporters at the operation site, IGP Kashmir VK Birdi stated that the number of terrorists seems to be between three and four. “We are investigating the role of civilians to understand why and how they reached so close to the terrorists,” the IGP said.
He mentioned that it cannot be ruled out that the group may have come from Doda, as Anantnag and Doda share adjoining borders. He confirmed that two soldiers and one civilian have been killed, while another civilian is undergoing treatment. An extensive search operation is underway. “The terrain and weather are challenging,” he added.
Security forces are engaged in a major operation in the Gagarmunda forest area of Kokernag for the second consecutive day, during which two Indian Army soldiers were martyred and one civilian was injured.
The operation was triggered after terrorists opened fire on security personnel, injuring three soldiers and two civilians. Tragically, two of the injured soldiers later succumbed to their injuries, while one is currently admitted to an Army hospital in Srinagar. The civilians caught in the firing were immediately given medical aid and rushed to a nearby medical centre, but one of them later succumbed to his injuries.
The operation was launched based on specific intelligence inputs indicating that terrorists responsible for recent violent incidents in Doda had infiltrated South Kashmir from the Kishtwar range of Jammu. The Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police have been tracking these suspects since the beginning of August.
For the past year, terrorists have changed their modus operandi and are now hiding in the mountains within the dense forests of the Pir Panjal Range instead of in settlements and towns. They are moving from one location to another through these mountains, travelling from Rajouri to Poonch, Udhampur, and Doda to Kishtwar via Kokernag, as the borders of these areas converge.
Security forces believe that 70 to 80 trained Pakistani terrorists are present in these mountains, taking advantage of the forests and naturally formed caves. These terrorists are equipped with sophisticated weapons, ammunition, and communication systems.
The army stated that security forces continued their operation through the night. More security personnel were called in for the encounter this morning, and the cordon around the area has been expanded. Drones and hexacopters have been deployed for assistance. However, the operation is becoming very difficult due to the dense forest and natural caves, as the terrorists are taking advantage of these features. This operation is being conducted at an altitude of 10,000 feet above sea level.
The Gagarmunda area is connected to the Kapran and Gadol Ahlan villages of Kashmir on one side and to the Desa and Lal Daraman areas of Doda on the other side, where terrorists attacked the army in July, resulting in the deaths of four soldiers.