An Army captain lost his life, and four suspected terrorists were killed in a fierce encounter in the higher reaches of Jammu’s Doda district on Wednesday. The operation, which began on Tuesday evening, involved a joint team of security forces who were tracking a group of foreign terrorists hiding in the Shivgarh-Assar belt.
The encounter broke out in a densely forested area during a cordon and search operation (CASO). The exchange of fire, which began around 6:30 pm on Tuesday, continued intermittently throughout the night. A civilian was injured in the gunbattle.
According to officials, the terrorists had crossed into Doda from a forest near Patnitop in the neighboring Udhampur district after a brief exchange of fire with security forces. The terrorists were reported to be holed up near a river in Assar.
Security forces established contact with the terrorists around 6 pm on Tuesday. After a brief pause, the search operation resumed at daylight. Around 7:30 am on Wednesday, there was a renewed exchange of fire that resulted in the deaths of the captain and the four suspected terrorists.
Following the encounter, security forces recovered four blood-soaked rucksacks and M-4 carbines from the site. The area remains under tight security as authorities continue their investigation.
