In an encounter with terrorists at Karan Nagar, a CRPF Jawan was martyred. Following a thwarted bid to attack a CRPF camp in Karan Nagar by terrorists, the encounter between security forces and terrorists broke out in J&K summer capital Srinagar. The search operation against the terrorist entered its third at Jammu’s Sunjuwan in Indian Army’s 36th brigade station. The terrorists are suspected to belong to the group Jaish-e-Mohammed and the encounter between Army personnel and terrorists broke out near the CRPF camp.
The incident had claimed six lives in which five of them were Army Jawans and just after two days they again attacked the CRPF camp. In the fire exchange, three terrorists were also gunned down. The CRPF camp on which the terrorists attacked is close to the SMHS Hospital from where terrorists freed Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist Naveed Jutt alias Abu Hanzala on February 6. The latest fire exchange started after the CRPF answered the firings of the militants outside the camp.
According to the CRPF spokesperson, the 23rd battalion CRPF camp at Karan Nagar was attacked by two militants who were armed with AK-47 rifles and they were carrying bags full of ammunition. He said that the army personnel deployed at the gates of the camp started firing towards the militants when they came in their sight by which they were forced to flee the spot. He added that the paramilitary has launched a search operation and cordon in the area and they have been successful in trapping the militants in a building nearby.
CRPF took quick action and deployed more troops at the action site to ensure that no militant escapes and intermittent firings were also reported. The youth started pelting stones near the site and the CRPF had to engage with them. Sources said that Home Minister Rajnath Singh has called a high-level meeting to know the current situation and to make further plans on how to tackle the militants while ensuring no causalities. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has left for Jammu & Kashmir to access the security situation at the site.
The encounter between military personnel and terrorists started when the militants started firing at the CRPF Jawans who responded with equal fire. The operation is still going on with more troops of CRPF rushing to the site and they are supported by the Special Operations Group (SOG). The forces said that one jawan belonging to the CRPF’s 49 Battalion was injured and later died due to injuries. The area has been surrounded by the security personnel. Meanwhile, at the Sunjuwan camp, the sanitation is going on. Colonel N N Josh said that the search and sanitation process has been going on in the Sunjuwan camp. According to the causality report, one civilian, five army men, and three Jaish militants have been killed and more than ten others have been injured in the fore exchange.
A spokesperson of the CRPF said that the sentry at the camp gate saw two unidentified persons carrying weapons and bags around 4:30 in morning. The sentry challenged them and the militants flee the spot and they were forced to hide in a building nearby by the army. The area around the abandoned building in which the militants took shelter has been cordoned off.
