J&K: 1 security personnel dead, 6 injured in encounter with terorrists

New Delhi, Apr 22: One security personnel has died and 6 others were injured in an encounter that broke out with terrorists at Sunjwan in Jammu and Kashmir.

A counter terror operation was launched in Sunjwan area of Jammy on Friday morning.

Mukesh Singh, ADGP, Jammu Zone said that the security forces had cordoned off the area and launched a search operation. The police had received credible information about the presence of two heavily armed terrorists.

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, news agency PTI reported.

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.

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.

(With PTI inputs)