Terrorists Attack Private House in J&K’s Kathua; One Assailant Killed, Operation On
Srinagar: At least, one militant has been shot dead by the security forces following he and his accomplice reportedly attacked a residential house in the Saidia village of Jammu and Kashmir’s frontier Kathua district on Tuesday night.
Initial reports received from Kathua said that gunshots were heard by the villagers in the Hiranagar area of the district and that, on being informed about it, a police party rushed to the area. It was soon joined by columns of Border Security Force (BSF) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to take on the militants who, officials said, might have sneaked into J & K from across the International Border (IB) recently.
The zonal police media (Jammu) centre wrote on ‘X’, “Terrorist firing in village Saida Sukhal near Koota mode PS Hira Nagar. Details awaited.” Jammu’s additional DGP confirmed that one militant has been killed in the encounter.
Union minister, Jitendra Singh, wrote on microblogging site ‘X’, “I am in continuous online contact with DC #Kathua Shree Rakesh Minhas in the wake of terrorist attack on a house in village Saida in Hiranagar sector close to the International Border. I am also in touch with SSP Kathua Sh. Anayat Ali Choudhary who is on the spot.”
He added, “The owner of the house that was attacked (name not to be disclosed) is also in touch on mobile phone. Joint police & paramilitary operation is going on. One terrorist neutralised so far. I and my office are in constant touch and keeping a close watch on the developments.”
On June 9, a group of militants had opened fire on a bus while it on its way to Katra, the basecamp of the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, from Shiv Khori, a cave-shrine devoted to Lord Shiva in the Sangar village of the Pouni area of J&K's Reasi district.
Seven pilgrims including two children and the driver and conductor of the ill-fated bus were killed and 41 oher passengers injured as the driver lost balance following the bus came under terror attack and it fell into a deep gorge at Kanda near the Teryath village of the Poni area.
The police sources in Jammu said that a group of militants forcefully entered the private house in Sadia village at around 7.45 pm and asked for water. "On seeing them entering the house, the owner of the house and his son who were present inside the house ran away. The terrorists started firing on them, " the sources said.
The sources added that one militant was gunned down by the members of the J&K police's counterinsurgency Special Operations Group (SOG) at a nearly Nallah whereas other militants are also trapped as the operation is still on.
