Army colonel and major, Dy SP injured in Anantnag encounter

Srinagar: Three security force officers including an Army Colonel were critically injured in a gunfight with terrorists in Kokernag area of Kashmir's Anantnag district, officials said here on Wednesday.

According to information received here, the operation against the terrorists began on Tuesday evening in Gadole area but was called off during the night.

This morning the hunt for the terrorists resumed after information started trickling that they were spotted at a hideout, the officials said.

The Army colonel, leading his team from the front, attacked the terrorists. However, the terrorists fired upon him and he was critically injured.

A Major-rank officer of the army and a deputy superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police also received bullet injuries, the officials said.

Senior army and police officers, including DGP Dilbag Singh and GoC 15 Corps Lt General Rajiv Ghai, rushed to the spot to assess the situation.

Earlier Jammu and Kashmir Police had posted on social media handle that an "encounter has started in #Kokernag area of #Anantnag. Officers from Army and JKP injured. Details shall follow".

Kashmir-based XV corps also gave details that "based on specific intelligence on presence of terrorists a Joint Operation was launched by #IndianArmy & @JmuKmrPolice on the intervening night of 12-13 Sep in Area Garol, Anantnag.

"Contact established and firefight ensued. Two Army personnel and one J&K Police personnel injured. Operation in progress." The banned Resistance Front, believed to be a shadow group of Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack.