J&K Police Chief Dilbagh Singh, ADGP Jammu Mukesh Singh on spot

Indian Army on Friday lost its five brave hearts in an encounters with terrorists in Kandi Forest, Kotranka in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. The encounter is still going on the terrorists have been trapped in cave in dense forest area of Kotranka sub district. Meanwhile, J&K Police Chief Dilbagh Singh and ADGP Jammu Mukesh Singh have reached on encounter site.

“India Army columns have been conducting relentless intelligence based operations to flush out a group of terrorists involved in ambush on an army truck in Tota Gali area of Bhata Dhurian in Jammu region”, PRO Defence Jammu said, in statement issued to media.

“On specific information about presence of terrorists in the Kandi Forest in Rajauri Sector, a joint operation was launched on 03 May 2023. At about 07;30 this morning, a search team established contact with a group of terrorists well entrenched in a cave. The area is thickly vegetated with rocky and steep cliffs”, the Spokesperson said.

“The terrorists triggered an explosive device in retaliation. The Army team has suffered two fatal casualties with injuries to four more soldiers including an officer. Additional teams from the vicinity have been directed to the site of encounter. The injured personnel have been evacuated to Command Hospital, Udhampur”, he said, adding that as per initial reports a group of terrorists were trapped in the area. “There is a likelihood of casualties in terrorists group. The operation is in progress”, he added.

Meanwhile, three more soldiers, who were critically injured in the morning have unfortunately succumbed to their injuries. The operations are still in progress.