One security force personnel killed, 3 injured in encounter with terrorists in Jammu

Jammu, Apr 22 (PTI) One security force personnel was killed and three more suffered injuries in a gunfight with terrorists in a locality near an Army camp on the outskirts of Jammu early Friday, officials said.

The encounter in Sunjwan took place amid heightened security arrangements in Jammu and Kashmir, two days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit to Samba district.

Additional Director General of Police of Jammu Mukesh Singh said the encounter started when the police's Special Operations Group and the CRPF launched a joint search operation in the area.

He said one security force personnel was killed and three more suffered injuries in the gunfight. "The encounter is going on," he said.

A search operation was launched on a specific information about the presence of at least two heavily-armed terrorists, likely belonging to the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit, in a vicinity adjacent to the sprawling Sunjwan military station to carry out a major strike in the city, the officials said.

They said the terrorists hurled a grenade and opened fire on the search parties who retaliated, triggering a gunfight.

Reinforcements have been rushed to the area and an operation is underway to neutralise the terrorists, the officials said.

On February 10 in 2018, three JeM terrorists stormed the Sunjwan Army camp and in the subsequent gunfight, seven persons, including six soldiers, were killed. All the three terrorists were also gunned down.

On National Panchayati Raj Day on April 24, the prime minister is scheduled to visit Pali village, 17 km from here, to address a gathering.

This will be Modi's first visit to Jammu and Kashmir other than borders since the abrogation of the special status of erstwhile state and its bifurcation in August 2019.

He had celebrated Diwali with Army jawans on October 27, 2019 in Rajouri and on November 3, 2021 in Nowshera sector in Jammu division.