CRPF Officer Killed, 6 Injured in Terrorist Attack in J&K

CRPF Officer Killed, 6 Injured in Terrorist Attack in J&K

A paramilitary soldier was killed, and a terrorist was shot dead during a late-night attack on a village in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir.

Two overnight encounters in Jammu continued into the morning. In Doda, five soldiers and a special police officer (SPO) were injured in the initial shootout.

Two days before these terror incidents in Jammu, a bus carrying pilgrims was attacked in Reasi and crashed into a gorge, killing nine passengers.

Anand Jain, Additional Director General of Police for Jammu, shared details of the Kathua encounters this morning. He said terrorists fired at a joint police and Rashtriya Rifles team at an army base in Chattargala, Doda, late last night. The encounter is ongoing in the higher reaches.

The police said two terrorists were involved in the Kathua attack last evening. One has been killed, and drones are being used to search for the second in the Hiranagar area. 

The terrorists asked for water from houses, raising villagers' suspicions, and opened fire when alarmed. One civilian was injured, and reports of three deaths were denied by Mr. Jain.

"There are rumors of many injuries and three deaths, but only one civilian was injured. 

The CRPF officer killed in the encounter was from the Central Reserve Police Force. 

ADGP Jain described the Kathua attack as a "fresh infiltration" from Pakistan, calling it an attempt by "our hostile neighbor" to disrupt peace.

Jammu has seen an increase in terror attacks, even in areas usually free from terrorism. Two days earlier, terrorists attacked a bus heading to the Shiv Khori cave temple in Reasi. After the driver refused to deboard passengers, the bus fell into a gorge, killing nine and injuring 33. The attack was directed by Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Abu Hamza.