KISHTWAR: A fresh encounter broke out between security forces and militants in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir late on Sunday night, officials said.
This marks the third encounter in the Chatroo belt of the hilly district over the past week, as the army and police continue their search for a group of three Pakistani militants linked to the Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit, despite heavy snow in the area.
The latest encounter began around 10.20 pm when a joint search party of the army and police was conducting operations in the Janseer-Kandiwar forest area. Security forces returned fire, and an intermittent exchange of gunfire was reported as the situation developed, officials said.
Despite the Chatroo belt being covered in snow, the army persisted in its pursuit of the militants following the first gunfight that occurred on January 18 at Sonnar village near Mandral-Singhpora. The initial clash resulted in the death of a paratrooper and injuries to seven other soldiers.
Although the militants managed to escape, utilising thick vegetation and the challenging terrain, they were intercepted a few kilometres away from the site of the first encounter on January 22.
Success again eluded the forces, but they continued their search even as the area witnessed over two feet of snowfall on Friday.