Rajouri, Aug 7: Fresh firing erupted between security forces and militants in the encounter that entered its second day in Bhangai village of Thannamandi in Rajouri district on Saturday.
The encounter had started on Friday morning during Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in Kaiyaan Mohalla of Bhangai village. CASO was launched by the joint teams of army and police over some specific input and in the ensuing encounter, two militants were killed.
The entire area was cordoned amid extensive searches which were stopped late Friday evening and were resumed on Saturday morning.
Officials said that this morning fresh firing erupted at the encounter site as security forces and the militants hiding in the area exchanged gunfire.
“Since Saturday morning, intermittent firing has been going on at the encounter site,” they said.
Officials further said that more reinforcement of army and police was rushed to the spot and cordon in the area was strengthened.
“Meanwhile, the bodies of two militants, who were eliminated, were retrieved from the encounter site on Friday evening and medico legal formalities were conducted. Two AK rifles, magazines, bags and other incriminating material have also been recovered from the site,” they added.
Meanwhile, the security grid in Thannamandi subdivision of Rajouri district was strengthened to ensure that hiding militants were not able to break the cordon.
The official sources said that at least one militant was still present in the area though the possibility of presence of one or two more militants could not be ruled out.
They further said that all the areas of sub division were under close surveillance.
Besides, security in neighbouring Manjakote subdivision and Surankote sub division of Poonch district was also beefed up.
Searches in Sunderbani, Nowshera villages
Security forces on Saturday launched two separate search operations in Nowshera and Sunderbani villages after inputs of suspicious movement there.
These operations were launched this evening.
Officials said that this evening, some villagers claimed to have seen two suspects in a village of Sunderbani after which the entire area was cordoned and searches were going on.
“In another such instance, reports of spotting a suspect in a village of Nowshera were received by the security forces after which that particular Nowshera village, besides the adjoining area near the Line of Control, have been cordoned,” they added.
They informed that searches in both the areas were going on.