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Amid heightened security arrangements, two days ahead of the state hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his very first visit since the abrogation of the special status of erstwhile state and its bifurcation in August 2019, one security force jawan has been killed, and nine others have been injured in an ongoing encounter in the Sunjwan area of Jammu on Friday. The Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Jammu Zone Mukesh Singh, "one security force jawan was martyred and nine jawans were injured in the encounter. We had cordoned off the area at night."
Additionally, Singh informed that the terrorists were hiding in a house and the encounter in Sunjwan took place despite high security arrangements in Jammu and Kashmir, two days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit to Samba district.
As per PTI report, a search operation was launched on a specific information about the presence of at least two heavily-armed terrorists, likely belonging to the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit, in a vicinity adjacent to the sprawling Sunjwan military station to carry out a major strike in the city, the officials said. They said the terrorists hurled a grenade and opened fire on the search parties who retaliated, triggering a gunfight.
It is important to note that this development comes ahead of the Prime Minister's scheduled visit on National Panchayati Raj Day to visit Pali village on April 24, which is only 17 km from the area.
This will be Modi's first visit to Jammu and Kashmir other than borders since the abrogation of the special status of erstwhile state and its bifurcation in August 2019. Earlier, PM Modi celebrated Diwali with Army jawans on October 27, 2019 in Rajouri and on November 3, 2021 in Nowshera sector in Jammu division.
Additional Director General of Police of Jammu Mukesh Singh said the encounter started when the police's Special Operations Group and the CRPF launched a joint search operation in the area. Reinforcements have been rushed to the area and an operation is underway to neutralise the terrorists, the officials have notified.
On February 10 in 2018, three JeM terrorists stormed the Sunjwan Army camp and in the subsequent gunfight, seven persons, including six soldiers, were killed. All the three terrorists were also gunned down.
(With inputs from agencies)