Handwara: Encounter underway between security forces and militants

Two Indian soldiers including an army officer received bullet injuries in an ongoing operation at Manigah forest area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Sunday.

Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir: A Lieutenant-Colonel of 160 Territorial Army was severely injured today during an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district which has been going on since last night.

He added that the forces cordoned off the area today morning and started a search operation to nab the militants.

The officer was taken to hospital for specialised treatment, and the operation against the militants has been intensified, he said.

A senior police officer told Deccan Herald that it was the same group of militants who had killed Colonel Santosh of 41 Rashtriya Rifles in the Behak forest area near Sonwali in Manigah. “However, the militants escaped from the site after taking advantage of the darkness”, reports quoting officials said.

As per the latest reports, fresh reinforcements have been sent to the gun battle area to track down the militants.

Heavy firing is underway and additional troops have been rushed to the area to cordon off the forest area.