New Delhi: Armed militants opened fire at residents of Saida Sukhal village in the Hira Nagar police circle of Jammu’s Kathua district Tuesday evening, two days after an attack on a pilgrim bus in Reasi left nine people dead.
One militant was gunned down in retaliatory firing by security forces who rushed to the site after the residents raised an alarm, sources in the security establishment told ThePrint.
“It’s a fluid situation. All our officers are here in the hunt for militants. It is night and hence, recovery of bodies can’t be immediate. It will take time for us to ascertain every detail of the cause and casualties of this attack,” a top police officer said, refusing to divulge other details, citing sensitivity.
The development poses a challenge for the security establishment, considering increased infiltration of terrorists to the Jammu side and a spate of attacks in the region over the last few years.
Sources in the security establishment indicated that both the Reasi and Tuesday attacks appear to be targeting civilians with no security forces in the direct line of attack of militants.
Jammu Zone ADG Anand Jain said in a statement: “One terrorist has been neutralized, and one civilian has been injured but is now out of danger. The operation is still ongoing, and senior officers are on the spot.”
Sarpanch of Surada panchayat Jasbir Singh told news agency ANI Tuesday evening that he had heard of seven militants entering the village, and five of them were still taking shelter there and firing intermittently.
Sources in the security establishment further said that all top officials of the UT police and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) deployed in the sector had reached the Saida Sukhal village to ensure effective operations to eliminate the militants.
Minister of State and local MP Dr Jitendra Singh took to X to confirm the scale of the attack. He said that he is in constant touch with the administration in Kathua and also the victim whose house the militants attacked.
“I am in continuous online contact with DC #Kathua Sh 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,” Dr Jitendra Singh wrote on X.
“The owner of the house that was attacked (name not to be disclosed) is also in touch on mobile phone. Joint police & para military 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,” he added.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
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