Kathua. Encounter continues between security forces and terrorists in Kahog village of Bilwar area of Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir. According to officials, three terrorists belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed are hiding in the village and search operations are underway by security forces to nab them. The encounter began on Wednesday evening when information about the presence of two to three terrorists was received. Special Operations Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police and other security forces jointly took action. A security personnel was shot in the leg in the encounter and has been admitted to the hospital. Officials say that the search operation was resumed after an overnight siege in the dense forest and inaccessible area. Additional forces have been deployed along with aerial surveillance in Dhanu Parol-Kamadh Nala area. Jammu Zone IGP Bhim Sen Tuti said that despite the darkness and difficult terrain, SOG is continuously fighting the terrorists. CRPF team is also involved in the joint operation. The encounter lasted for about an hour, after which the firing stopped. At present it is not known whether any terrorist was injured or not. Officials said that for the last one month, Army, BSF, Police and CRPF have been carrying out continuous search operations in the border areas. They are identifying those living in the border areas and intensifying patrolling near the international border in Samba and Kathua districts. Ahead of Republic Day, all security agencies including BSF, Border Police and Village Defense Guards have been put on alert. The objective of this action is not only to arrest the terrorists but also to strengthen the border security and ensure the safety of the local people. Multi-layered security arrangements are being made continuously to keep an eye on the activities of terrorist groups operating in the inaccessible areas of Kathua district.
