Synopsis
A militant was killed in Kupwara, J&K, during an operation, with security forces recovering an AK-47 and ammunition. The encounter involves multiple agencies and aims to neutralize remaining threats while ensuring civilian safety.Key Takeaways
- A militant was killed in Kupwara district.
- AK-47 and ammunition were recovered.
- Security forces initiated a Cordon and Search Operation.
- Local civilians advised to stay indoors.
- Increased militant activities linked to upcoming elections.
Srinagar, March 17 (NationPress) A militant was neutralized on Monday, with an AK-47 rifle and ammunition seized during a continuing operation in J&K's Kupwara district, according to officials.
The precise identity and group affiliation of the deceased militant is currently being verified.
The confrontation erupted earlier today between security personnel and militants hiding in Kupwara.
Officials indicated that based on intelligence alerts regarding the presence of militants in the Krumbhoora (Zachaldara) village within the Rajwar region, security forces initiated a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO).
As security forces moved closer to the hidden militants, the latter opened fire, igniting an encounter. Reports suggest that two to three militants are currently barricaded within the cordoned area. All possible escape routes for the militants are being secured, an official stated.
A coordinated effort involving the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the Special Operations Group (SOG) has been established to neutralize the threat. The area has been cordoned off, and additional reinforcements have been mobilized to ensure a successful outcome.
Local civilians have been urged to remain indoors and avoid approaching the encounter site for their safety.
Militants, under the direction of their handlers based across the border in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), have intensified their activities. Intelligence agencies suspect that the upcoming, participative Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly elections in 2024 have provoked frustration among terror handlers in Pakistan. Recently, three innocent civilians, including a 14-year-old boy, were killed by militants in the Kathua district.
The remains of two civilians who went missing from the Qazigund area of Kulgam district on February 14 have been found.
These individuals, who hailed from the Rajouri district of the Jammu division, were laborers in the Valley seeking to earn a livelihood.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has presided over three security review meetings concerning J&K since the start of 2025.
He has issued explicit directives to security forces to maintain zero infiltration and enforce zero tolerance towards terrorists and their supporters in the Union Territory.
Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha has also conducted two consecutive security review meetings, one in Srinagar and another in Jammu, instructing police and security forces to dismantle the entire support network for terrorism, which includes terrorists, their overground workers (OGWs), and sympathizers.
He emphasized that funds generated from drug smuggling, drug trafficking, and hawala operations ultimately finance terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, and that the fight against terror cannot be effectively waged in isolation without cutting off its support channels.
