J&K: Anantnag encounter continues, soldiers' death toll rises to 4
The joint operation of the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Police to hunt down terrorists in J&K's Anantnag district, which started early Wednesday, continued on Friday. Another soldier succumbed to his injuries on Friday, taking the death toll since Wednesday to four. The encounter claimed the lives of 19 Rashtriya Rifles Unit (19 RR)'s Commanding Officer Colonel Manpreet Singh and Company Commander Major Ashish Dhonchak, J&K Police DSP Humayun Bhat, and another soldier whose identity hasn't been revealed.
LeT proxy said encounter revenge for leader's assassination
The encounter began after the security forces launched the joint operation based on intelligence inputs about terrorists hiding in the Kokernag area of the Anantnag district. Colonel Singh was leading the search column along with Major Dhonchak and DSP Bhat when they came under fire from terrorists. They later succumbed to their injuries. The Resistance Front, a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) proxy, claimed responsibility for the encounter, calling it "revenge" for their veteran leader's assassination in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) earlier this month.
Security forces pursue terrorists, area cordoned off
The operation continued for the third day on Friday, making it one of the longest in recent times, as security forces established fresh contact with the terrorists after having surrounded two or three terrorists on Thursday. The area has been cordoned off to search for the terrorists, and heron drones and quadcopters have been deployed. There was no information about the casualty figures on the terrorists' side.
Anti-Pakistan protests erupt in Jammu
Following the deaths of security personnel in the ongoing encounter, anti-Pakistan protests broke out in Jammu on Thursday. Kashmiri Pandits' outfit Panun Kashmir and the Eik Sanatam Bharat Dal (ESBD) paid homage to the personnel and demanded a massive operation against the terrorist ecosystem in J&K, condemning Pakistan's role in supporting terrorist activities. Meanwhile, J&K's former chief minister and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah slammed the Centre's claims of normalcy in J&K.
