Search operations in Kathua, Rajouri extended to fresh areas

Jammu: Security forces on Monday extended the ongoing search operations to new areas in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Rajouri districts to hunt down terrorists following recent encounters in the region, officials said.

While a policeman and a terrorist were killed and two police officers injured in a fierce gunbattle in remote Kog-Mandli forest village in Billawar tehsil of Kathua district on Saturday evening, a brief exchange of fire took place between terrorists and security forces in Manial Gali in Thanamandi area of Rajouri district on Sunday evening.

A massive search operation is going on for the third day in Kathua with cordon extending to over a dozen other villages near the scene of Saturday's encounter, the officials said.

They said at least three more foreign terrorists of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) are believed to be hiding in the forest belt.

In Rajouri, the officials said the terrorists fled after a brief encounter with security forces at Manial Gali in Thanamandi area Sunday evening.

The operation was called off late Sunday and resumed and extended to new areas early this morning, the officials said.

They said there was no fresh contact with the terrorists so far.

Meanwhile, slain head constable Bashir Ahmed was laid to rest with full honours at a graveyard near his Jammu residence after a wreath laying ceremony late Sunday evening.

J-K Director General of Police, Operations and Security, Nalin Prabhat, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Jammu zone, and all personnel paid homage to the fallen cop.

Family members of the policeman -- his wife, two sons and a daughter -- were present at the wreath laying ceremony at the police headquarters and were seen being consoled personally by the DGP.

Officers of central paramilitary forces also paid rich tributes and laid floral wreaths on the mortal remains of the deceased.