Kishtwar encounter: One militant killed, operation underway

A militant was killed in an encounter with security forces in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir. The police and the Indian Army launched a joint operation in the district today morning on a tip-off. The major objective of the ongoing operation was to trace and neutralize terrorists who are hiding in wait in the hilly area.

The operation was launched on the basis of inputs that were received on the suspected presence of militants in Farard area of ​​Kishtwar, said army sources. When the security personnel closed in on the area, the militants fired. One militant was eliminated in the firefight. Weapons and ammunition have been recovered from the site.

But the number of militants that made up the group is not yet clear. The security officials are concerned that more militants are still holed up in the surrounding forests, and the search operation has therefore been stepped up. The region has been searched with the use of drones and sniffing dogs.

Incidentally, the Kishtwar region has gradually become a hotbed of militant activity over the past two or three years. Especially in the hilly regions of Jammu division, militant activity has increased in recent times as against South Kashmir. This is creating increasing anxiety in the security establishment.

The regional government released a statement declaring the area still secure for the time being but sent additional troops for safety precautions. The police have been urged by the general population to contact them as soon as anything suspect is observed.

The identity of the militant who was killed in the encounter has not been revealed yet, but the intelligence agency is sure that he is most probably a member of a Pakistan-backed militant group. An official statement from the police and army will be made to know the details of the success of the operation.

In the wake of this operation, the policy of the central government on the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir has again come into focus. Such operations are also being discussed politically prior to elections.