Fiercest gun battle rages on in Ghati heights of Kathua
*Two ultras suspected to be hiding, searches to resume early today
*Para commandos dropped-in, senior officers at encounter site
*Possibility of Hiranagar group reaching Ghati being ascertained
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 27: In one of the fiercest gun battle, three Pakistani terrorists were killed and three SOG cops attained martyrdom while seven others including a DySP were injured at village Safiyan Jakhole in Ghati heights under the jurisdiction of Rajbagh Police Station in Kathua district during day-long search operation today which will resume early tomorrow morning to neutralize remaining terrorists, if any.
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It, however, is yet to be ascertained whether it was same group which was spotted at village Sanyal in Hiranagar sector on Sunday, or a separate but number of the terrorists at both the places appeared to be five which indicated possibility of the same group which had taken Ghati heights to reach Billawar mountains on way to Udhampur or Kishtwar districts.
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Senior police officials tonight confirmed that three police jawans of Special Operations Group (SOG) have attained martyrdom in the gun battle and injuries to seven others including DySP Border Dheeraj Katoch and Para soldier. At least three terrorists were killed. Their bodies were observed lying at the heights through footage captured by a drone. Body of one of the terrorists was burnt in the rocket launcher.
Injured security personnel have been shifted to different hospitals.
Sources said the civilians observed movement of terrorists at village Safiyan in Ghati heights at 7 am and sounded police. Immediately, teams of local police and SOG headed by SDPO Border Dheeraj Katoch rushed to the spot and engaged terrorists in the gun battle who were well equipped with sophisticated weapons like M4 Carbines.
Later, Army personnel including para commandos were air dropped and enforcement of police and paramilitary personnel also reached the site to join search operation against the terrorists.
Three police personnel who were part of first SOG team to reach the spot were martyred in the operation while the DySP Border was injured. Another SPO Bharat Chalotra son of Amrit Lal of Akhnoor was injured and has been admitted in the GMC Jammu while the DySP was evacuated to the GMC Kathua. One Para Commando and four cops also sustained injuries.
Three terrorists have been neutralized till this evening. Their bodies were lying in a hill and will be brought down once the operation is over. Body of one of the terrorists has been burnt. All of them are believed to be Pakistanis.
The police martyrs have been identified as Tariq Ahmad son of Kabir Hussain of Reasi, Jaswant Singh son of Angrez Singh of Londi, Hiranagar and Balwinder Singh son of Prem Singh of Kana Chak, Kathua, all Selection Grade Constables.
Terrorists are believed to be part of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit hailing from Pakistan. They appeared to be well trained.
The gunfight triggered intense firing and explosions with Army using rocket launchers to eliminate the terrorists who fired heavily with M4 Carbines and other sophisticated weapons and also used grenades. Local youth were seen assisting the security forces to carry heavy weapons and ammunition deep inside a gorge.
The encounter, centred near Jakhole village in the Ghati Juthana area of Rajah, involved a group of approximately five terrorists. The operation was temporarily suspended tonight and will resume early tomorrow morning in search of the remaining terrorists.
Senior police officers are camping at the spot supervising the operation.
“The possibility is that there could be two more terrorists,” the officials said.
Five police personnel, including the SDPO were reportedly trapped near the gunfight’s location, adjacent to a rivulet concealed by dense foliage. However, the SDPO was evacuated from the scene late this evening, while three of his Personal Security Officers were found dead, the official sources said, adding the fate of another missing policeman was not known immediately.
Special troops of Army were airdropped at the scene of the encounter in the evening to further strengthen the cordon around the area, the officials said, adding bodies of the three dead terrorists were noticed by drones and would be retrieved on Friday morning.
It may be mentioned that a group of terrorists were intercepted by the SOG at village Sanyal in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district on Sunday evening.
Despite a massive search operation, the terrorists managed to escape the initial cordon, the officials said, adding it is assumed that the same could have been possibly spotted near Jakhole, approximately 30 kilometers from the initial encounter site.
The quiet village Suffain Jakhole in Kathua district was shattered by the relentless sounds of gunfire, grenades, and rocket fire as a fierce exchange raged throughout the day, punctuated by a series of powerful explosions.
Earlier, a group of terrorists was intercepted on Sunday evening within a ‘dhok’, in Sanyal village near the International Border with Pakistan.
A subsequent massive search operation, involving the police, army, NSG, BSF, and CRPF, utilised advanced technical and surveillance equipment, including helicopters, UAVs, drones, bulletproof vehicles, and sniffer dogs.
The search teams discovered evidence on Monday, including four loaded magazines of M4 carbine, two grenades, a bulletproof jacket, sleeping bags, tracksuits, food packets, and materials for constructing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) near the Hiranagar encounter site.
Police believe the terrorists infiltrated on Saturday, possibly via a ravine route or a newly constructed tunnel from across the border.
Meanwhile, the People’s Anti-Fascist Front, a proxy outfit of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), claimed responsibility for the encounter.
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