Cordon layers tightened; lights installed; exchange of firing on, say Officials
RAJOURI: Two army captains and a soldier were killed in an ongoing encounter at Baaji Maal area of Kalakote in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district on Wednesday, officials said.
Official sources told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that an encounter broke out in the morning after a search team of army came under fire at Baaji Maal area of Barevi village of Kalakote Rajouri.
The troops were conducting a search operation in the dense forest of Baaji Maal when terrorists opened fire which was retaliated after which an encounter broke out. “Intense exchange of fire took place in the area in which two army officers and a soldier sustained serious bullet wounds, who succumbed later,” an official said, wishing not to be named.
He said in the exchange of fire, two more army officers among five other security forces personnel have sustained injuries.
“Two army officers including a Captain of Rashtriya Rifles, a Captain of Special Forces and another army personnel have lost their lives in the encounter so far while four to five injured army personnel have been shifted to army hospital for treatment,” a defence official confirmed to KNO on the condition of anonymity.
The officials said that exchange of fire was going on when last reports poured in while reinforcement have been rushed and senior officers were camping at the site.
Two to three terrorists are believed to be trapped in the area who are believed to be hiding under the dense forest cover. “Bodies of two army officers have been retrieved while one body is yet to be retrieved,” the officials said. A defence source said that the operation has been put on halt due to the dark while high beam lights have been installed to ensure terrorists don’t flee. “All layers of cordon have been tightened and reinforcements of Special Forces have reached the spot to corner the hiding terrorists. It is believed terrorists have suffered injuries in the exchange of fire,” he said, adding that things will be clear once the operation is over.
It may be recalled that on May 6, five soldiers were killed when terrorists triggered an IED to target the army vehicle in a forest area of Rajouri district. On September 13, army lost its two officers—a Colonel and a major while police lost its DySP rank officers in an encounter at Anantnag district of South Kashmir