An encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists during a search operation in a village near the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Akhnoor sector on Monday, officials said.
The search operation in the Bhattal area of Khour was launched after a group of three terrorists opened fire on an Army ambulance passing through the main road near Assan temple in Jogwan early this morning.
However, there was no immediate report of any casualty. Reinforcements have been rushed to the area to neutralise the heavily armed terrorists, believed to be three in number, who managed to sneak into Jammu from across the border during the intervening night, the officials said.
According to the officials, the terrorists had entered a temple and were desperately looking for a mobile phone to make a call. They noticed the passing ambulance and opened fire on it, the officials said, adding the ambulance was hit by over a dozen bullets.
The terrorists have also disfigured idols of deities in the Hassan temple in the area, according to a report by News18.
The Army, along with police, swiftly cordoned off the village and adjoining areas and an operation is underway to trace and neutralize the terrorists who are believed to have infiltrated from across the border, the officials said.