Jammu, Feb 4(KNS): Two terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district on Wednesday, while a separate gunfight broke out during a search operation in Kishtwar district in which another terrorists was neutralised by the security forces.

 

In Udhampur, the encounter took place in the Basantgarh area after joint teams of the Army, police and other security forces launched an operation late Tuesday evening following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists.

 

Officials said the terrorists were hiding inside a cave in a forested area and opened fire when security forces moved in, triggering an exchange of fire.

 

The operation was intensified after unmanned aerial vehicles were deployed to track the movement of the terrorists. 

 

Officials said the drones helped confirm their presence inside the cave, enabling the forces to tighten the cordon and adjust their strategy.

 

“Joint forces responded in a calibrated manner and prevented the terrorists from escaping the area,” an official said, adding that both terrorists were neutralised during the operation. 

 

Their bodies and arms and ammunition were recovered from the site.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

 

The operation was carried out cautiously, keeping in view the dense forest cover and the possibility of additional terrorists in the area, officials said. 

 

As a precautionary measure, residents of nearby villages were advised to remain indoors until the operation was concluded.

 

Meanwhile, in Kishtwar district, a gunfight erupted between terrorists and security forces in the Chatroo area on Wednesday during an ongoing cordon-and-search operation. 

 

Officials said the encounter began in the Bichaar locality after security forces launched searches based on intelligence inputs about terrorist movement in the area.

 

“During the search operation, the terrorists fired at the security forces, leading to a gunfight,” an official said. 

 

Besides the killing of a terrorist so far, additional forces were rushed to the site to strengthen the cordon.

 

The twin developments come amid heightened security measures in the Union Territory. Senior security officials have recently reviewed the situation and stressed the need for sustained operations to neutralise terrorists operating in the region and to maintain strict vigil along the borders and the Line of Control.(KNS)