Search operations underway in J-K's Kishtwar to flush out terrorists

Security forces continued their search operation in the dense forests of Keshwan and adjoining areas in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Monday, a day after an Army officer died in a gunfight with terrorists holed up in the area.

The security personnel have been scouring the forest area for over four days, looking for the terrorists who abducted and killed two Village Defence Guards (VDGs) last Thursday.

Sunday's encounter broke out when joint search parties of the Army and police intercepted the terrorists around 11 am in the Keshwan forest area. The exchange of fire went on for more than four hours.

A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), Naib Subedar Rakesh Kumar of the Army's 2 Para, was killed and three more soldiers were injured in the gunfight.

Officials said there has been no fresh contact with the terrorists since Sunday's encounter.

They said three to four terrorists, responsible for the killings, are still holed up in the area and a massive search operation is underway to neutralise them.

The officials added that thick foliage and challenging topography pose a challenge for the security personnel relentlessly chasing the trail to hunt down the terrorists.

On Thursday evening, terrorists abducted VDGs Nazir Ahamed and Kuldeep Kumar and shot them dead in the nearby Kuntwara forest.