Two captains were among four soldiers of the Indian Army killed in an ongoing encounter with terrorists in the Kalakote forest area of Jammu’s Rajouri district on Wednesday.
A Major and two jawans were critically injured during the fierce gunfight and they have been airlifted to the military hospital at Udhampur.
More troops have been deployed in the area to neutralise the terrorists.
Two Captains and two Havildars were killed, while three other troops were shifted to the military hospital in a critical condition.
Senior Army and police officers have reached the spot to oversee the operation against terrorists.
White Knight Corps of the Indian Army said that “based on specific intelligence, joint operations were launched in the Kalakote area in the Gulabgarh forest of Rajouri on 19 November. Contact was established with terrorists on 22 November and intense firefight ensued”.
“The terrorists have been injured and surrounded and operations are in progress, amidst acts of valour and sacrifice by own Bravehearts in trying to prevent collateral damage to women and children in the highest traditions of the Indian Army. White Knight Corps salutes the supreme sacrifice,” it added.
Inspector General of Police (Jammu Range) Anand Jain said in the morning that an encounter has started between terrorists and joint forces of the Army and J&K Police in the Bajimaal area of Dharmsal in the Rajouri district.
Two terrorists are believed to be trapped in the cordon, the IGP added.
A team of the Army and police launched a cordon and search operation in the area on a specific input about the presence of terrorists in the forest area.
As the joint team approached the suspected area, the hiding terrorists fired upon the security forces.
Earlier on Friday, a Pakistani terrorist was killed in Budhal area of Rajouri district. A huge quantity of arms and ammunition were seized, said security forces.