One security personnel killed, 4 injured in encounter in J&K ahead of PM's visit

Srinagar: Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit to Jammu and Kashmir, a fierce gun battle has erupted between security forces and terrorists in the Sunjwan area on Friday.

A security officer has been killed, and four others injured in the initial shoot-out, officials said.

The encounter started after security forces launched a pre-dawn operation at the Sunjwan cantonment area in Jammu city. The police said they had information that terrorists were planning an attack in the city.

PM Modi is arriving in Jammu on Sunday. The presence of terrorists near a vital military installation in the city is a major security concern ahead of his first political visit to Jammu and Kashmir after the former state's special status was revoked in August 2019.

PM Modi will address a major rally which will be attended by thousands of Panchayat members at Palli village.

Ahead of the visit, security has been put on high alert and round the clock patrolling is being carried out by security forces to prevent any terrorist attack across Jammu and Kashmir.

Official sources said the police received information about the presence of at least two terrorists at Sunjwan.

As they launched an operation, they came under heavy firing. An Assistant Sub Inspector of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) was killed, and four others were injured in the initial shoot-out. A fierce encounter is underway.

"We cordoned off the area during the night after we received an input that terrorists are hiding here and planning some action. In the morning, there was firing on the cordon, in which one security forces personnel was killed, and four others are injured. The encounter is going on," said Mukesh Singh, additional director general of police in Jammu.

The Sunjwan army cantonment was targeted by terrorists in February 2018 in which several people were killed.

There has been a spurt in terrorist incidents in Kashmir Valley since last month. Four Panchayat members were killed, and several migrant workers have been injured in targeted attacks.

Yesterday, three terrorists including a top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander were killed by security forces in the Baramulla district. The operation which started Thursday morning is still underway. Security forces suspect the presence of a few more terrorists in the target area.