3 Army personnel killed, 3 injured in encounter with terrorists in J-K's Rajouri

Rajouri/Jammu, Nov 22 (PTI) Three Army personnel, including two captains, were killed and three others were injured during an encounter between security forces and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Wednesday, officials said.

The fierce gunfight was going on in the area with the induction of more troops to neutralise two terrorists trapped at the spot, they said.

Officials said two captains and a havildar have lost their lives during the encounter.

A major and two jawans suffered injuries, they said, adding the injured have been shifted to the Army's Command Hospital in Udhampur.

The encounter broke out between terrorists and joint forces of the Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police in the Bajimaal area of Dharmsal following a cordon-and-search operation, the police said.

Officials said the operation has been intensified with induction of additional troops.

Local residents said that a cordon-and-search operation has been going on in the area since Sunday to track down terrorists operating in the area.

'Due to the operation we were asked to stay back at home and not venture out. Our children stayed back at home and did not attend the school,' a villager told PTI.

The firing is going on in the forest area close to the village, he said.

Officials said the two terrorists trapped at the encounter site in Bajimaal appeared to be foreign nationals and had been moving around in the area since Sunday. They even took shelter at a place of worship, they said.

The border districts of Rajouri and Poonch have witnessed increased terrorist incidents over the past one-and-a-half years.

On November 17, a terrorist was killed in an encounter between terrorists and security forces in the Guller Behrote area of Rajouri district.

On August 7, a terrorist was gunned down as an infiltration attempt from across the border was foiled by the Army in the Degwar area of Poonch district.

Five Army soldiers were killed during an anti-terror operation in the Kesari hills of Rajouri district on May 5. PTI COR AB TAS SKL SMN SMN