Jammu/Srinagar, Nov 19: Four suspected Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists were killed and two policemen were injured in a gunbattle on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway after a truck carrying a group of freshly infiltrated militants was intercepted by security forces on the outskirts of Jammu city on Thursday, top police officials said.
The terrorists had come to execute a “big plan” which has now been foiled, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu, Mukesh Singh, said. In Srinagar, IGP, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said the four terrorists were on their way to the Kashmir valley to disturb the District Development Council (DDC) polls scheduled later this month, as Pakistan has been trying to cause trouble in the political process. Giving details of the encounter, IGP Singh told a press conference in Jammu that during checking a truck was stopped at Ban toll plaza in Nagrota area at 5 am but the driver fled leaving behind the vehicle. CRPF and police personnel moved to search the vehicle and came under fire of the terrorists hiding in the truck.
They retaliated resulting in an encounter. Other forces also joined resulting in a fierce gunbattle in which terrorists fired grenades and arms, he said.
In the three-hour-long gunbattle, four terrorists were killed and two policemen were injured, he said, adding the policemen were out of danger.
A huge cache of arms, ammunition and explosive material was recovered including 11 AK rifles, 3 pistols, 29 grenades and 6 UBGL grenades, he said. As per weapon recovery and past instances, it appears that they belong to JeM, he added. Speaking on the sidelines of a function in Srinagar, IGP Kumar said, “For the last few days, Pakistan has increased attempts to infiltrate militants into this side and to disturb the elections for which the process is on. In this context, Jammu Police and security forces have done a good job by neutralising four Pakistanis (militants). Their (militants’) aim was to come to Kashmir to disturb the election process”. He said there were apprehensions about militants targeting the elections, but the security forces were fully prepared to deal with the situation.
“Whether there is an election or August 15 or January 26 or even a VIP visit, apprehensions are always there” he said. (PTI)
