Two terrorists have been killed in a fierce encounter that broke out today in Jammu and Kashmir’s Hadipora village in the Baramulla district of the Union Territory.
The encounter started after security forces and the police launched a search operation to track down the hiding terrorists. “Two bodies are seen at the encounter site. Both the terrorists have been killed. Their identity is yet to be ascertained” Mr VK Birdi, inspector general police told NDTV.
The encounter in Jammu and Kashmir broke out a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the capital Srinagar.
This will be the Prime Minister’s first visit to the Union Territory after taking the oath of office for the third time on June 9. He will take in International Yoga Day celebrations in Srinagar on Friday. The event will take place on the banks of the Dal Lake in the capital.
Jammu and Kashmir witnessed back-to-back encounters in the past few weeks.
Terror Attacks, Encounters In June
Earlier this month, on June 3, an encounter broke out in Kashmir’s Pulwama between security forces and terrorists. A joint operation was launched by the police and armed forces in the Nihama area of District Pulwama.
Almost a week later, a bus with pilgrims was attacked in the Reasi district of Jammu leaving nine people dead. The bus was on its way to the Shiv Khori cave temple when the attackers opened fire. The attack was carried out on the instructions of Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Abu Hamza.
Two days later, a person was reportedly injured after terrorists opened fire in a village in the Union Territory’s Kathua district, close to the International Border. A terrorist was also killed.
A third encounter broke out in the Doda district of Jammu, followed by another in the same region. It was the fourth encounter in three days.
One group comprising three to four terrorists were present in the higher reaches of Doda, a senior police officer had said. Five soldiers of the Rashtriya Rifles and a special police officer (SPO) were injured on June 11 when the terrorists attacked a joint checkpost in the upper reaches of Chattergalla on the Bhaderwah-Pathankot road in the hilly district.
PM Assess Security Situation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a review meeting last week to assess the situation in Jammu and Kashmir after four encounters between security forces and terrorists took place in the last four days.
Prime Minister Modi spoke to Home Minister Amit Shah and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. The Prime Minister was given a full overview of the security-related situation of the Union Territory and the counter-terrorism operations being undertaken by the armed forces.
Sources told NDTV that the Prime Minister has asked the authorities to deploy the full spectrum of the armed forces’ counter-terror capabilities.
The Prime Minister spoke to Mr Shah and discussed the deployment of security forces and counter-terror operations.
