Anantnag Encounter: Operations Continue On Third Day, Four Security Personnel Dead. Top Points

Fresh reinforcements have been rushed to the area to take down the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists, who have been 'encircled' in the higher reaches of Anantnag district.

Security personnel during an encounter with terrorists at Kokernag Tehsil in Anantnag district

Source : PTI

Counter-terrorist operations in the Gadole area of Kokernag in J&K's Anantnag continued for the third day as the last rites of Colonel Manpreet Singh and Major Aashish Dhonchak were conducted in their hometowns on Friday. Four security forces personnel have died so far in the operation that began on Wednesday.

Fresh reinforcements have been rushed to the area to take down the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists, who have been "encircled" in the higher reaches of Anantnag district, police said. The terrorists are believed to be hiding in a natural cave in the mountains of south Kashmir.

Operation Against Terrorists Continue In J&K's Anantnag: Top Points

• The Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a joint search operation on the night of September 12-13 after receiving specific intelligence inputs about the presence of two to three terrorists in Garol village in Anantnag.
• An encounter broke out between the terrorists and security personnel during which Colonel Manpreet Singh, commanding officer of the 19 Rashtriya Rifles, Major Ashish Dhonchak, Deputy Superintendent of Police Humayun Bhat were killed. Another soldier succumbed to his injuries on Thursday.
• Police claimed two Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists have been "encircled" in the higher reaches of Anantnag district of south Kashmir.
• On Thursday, sounds of firing was heard throughout the day but there were no reports of any fresh casualties. A tight cordon has been maintained in the Gadole forests.
• The security forces have deployed small quadcopters and larger drones to keep an eye on the entire area.
• The Resistance Force, a shadow group of the Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba, is beleived to be behind the attack. One of the terrorists has been identified as 28-year-old Uzair Khan from Nagam in Kokarnag.
• Colonel Manpreet Singh, aged 41, was a resident of Haryana's Panchkula, He joined the Army in 2005 and is survived by his wife and two young children. ​
• Major Dhonchak, 34, was from Haryana's Panipat and joined the Army in 2013. He issurvived by his wife and a young daughter.