Cop killed, 2 officers injured in gunfight with terrorists in J-K's Kathua

Jammu: A policeman was killed and two officers were injured Saturday in a fierce gunfight with terrorists in a remote village in the Kathua district of poll-bound Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

The encounter at Kog-Mandli in Billawar tehsil occurred amid heightened security arrangements in the district which goes to poll in the third and final phase on October 1 along with Jammu, Udhampur, Samba, Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara.

Jammu Zone Additional Director General of Police Anand Jain and senior officers have rushed to the scene to supervise the operation, the officials said.

"During the ongoing encounter in village Kog (Mandli), one police personnel, Head Constable Bashir Ahmed, has sacrificed his life, and one ASI has sustained bullet injuries," a police spokesperson said.

According to security officials, a deputy superintendent of police (operations) was also injured in the encounter.

The exchange of fire started around 5.30 pm when security forces launched a joint cordon and search operation in the forested village following information about the presence of a group of terrorists inside a house, the officials said.

As the forces approached the target house, the hiding terrorists opened fire, prompting retaliation by the security forces, they said, adding the area has been put under a tight cordon with the induction of the reinforcements from adjoining security camps.

The officials said there was a brief lull after the initial firing and the exchange between the two sides intensified after the fall of the dusk with hiding terrorists making desperate attempts to break the cordon by taking advantage of darkness.

The area has been illuminated and modern gadgets including drones deployed to keep a close watch, they said.

They said intermittent exchange of firing was going on when last reports were received.