JK's Poonch encounter has started.A confidential source said that a joint search operation has been launched by police and army in the area of ​​Pathanat near Gursai Top of Mendhar sub-division.

On Saturday, three terrorists were killed in an overnight gunfight with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district, officials said, calling it a "significant success" ahead of assembly elections.

An encounter erupted in a village in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. The fire came as political parties continued to campaign for the three-phase assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir that were held after 10 years.

Security forces have launched a cordon and search operation in Poonch after receiving information about the presence of terrorists, an official news agency told PTI.

According to a tip-off, a joint search operation was launched by the police and army in Pathanatir area near Gursai Top of Mendhar sub-division on Saturday evening, the security official said.

It is learned that a top terrorist group commander is among the three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists trapped in the village. Poonch police said, “Firing rounds were also heard in Pathanati area of Mendhar sector in Poonch last night.

He said the gunfight started when the search party fired from the hiding terrorists. Intermittent firing is going on between the two sides, the official said, adding that reinforcements have been sent to the area and further details are awaited.


"A joint search operation was immediately launched by Indian Army's Romeo Force, Poonch Police's Special Operations Group (SOG) and CRPF. Security forces have cordoned off the area. Gunfire was heard in the morning. Encounters are also underway," police told news ANI.


On Saturday, three terrorists were killed in an overnight gunfight with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district, officials said, calling it a "significant success" ahead of assembly elections.

Earlier, two Army soldiers, including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), were killed in an encounter with terrorists at Chhatru in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir. Two more soldiers were injured when terrorists opened fire on a joint search party of the army and police in a forest area in Kishtwar on Friday evening.

On Wednesday, two militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir. In a post on X, the Indian Army's Rising Star Corps said, "Two terrorists have been neutralized by troops of the Rising Star Corps in an ongoing operation at Khandara #Kathua. The operation is  ongoing ."