Army officer injured in encounter with militants in J&K
Security forces had launched a search operation in Bhawan village of Handwara
Srinagar: A senior army officer was on Sunday injured in an encounter with militants in Handwara area of north Kashmir's Kupwara district, officials said.
Security forces had launched a search operation in Bhawan village in Zachaldara area of Handwara last night following information about the presence of militants in the area, a police official said.
The official said a brief exchange of firing took place between the two sides even as reinforcements of security forces were rushed to the area to prevent the militants from escaping.
"An officer of the rank of Lt Colonel has been injured in the encounter in Handwara area of Kupwara today," an army official said.
He said the officer has been evacuated to the Drugmulla Military Hospital where his condition is said to be "stable".
This is second incident of an army officer getting hit in an anti-militancy operation in Kashmir within a week.
Colonel Santosh Mahadik was killed in an operation against militants in Kupwara on Wednesday.
The firing resumed this morning and was going on intermittently till reports last came in, the official said.