A member of the Village Defence Committee (VDC) guard was killed in a gunfight with terrorists in a remote village in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir on early Sunday morning. The gunfight between terrorists and a patrolling party was held in Chochru Gala Heights in Panara village of Basantgarh tehsil of Udhampur district this morning.
VDG member Mohammad Sharief, a resident of Khaned, was critically injured in the firing and later succumbed to injuries.
"Based on the information received about the presence of terrorists in the area of Police Station Basantgarh, J&K Police activated the security grid in Basantgarh police station limits of Udhampur district", police said.
"Today morning, the party of Police Picket Sang carrying along with them VDG members proceeded towards Chochru Gala heights where around 0745 hrs a faceoff ensued between Police party and a group of hiding terrorists. One Village Defence Guard member of JKP was injured in the initial exchange of fire", police said in an official handout.
Injured VDG members later succumbed to his injuries
The Village Defence Committee (VDC) guard who was injured in the initial exchange of fire in Chochru Gala heights with terrorists succumbed here in a hospital, officials said.
He has been identified as Mohammad Shareef (48) son of Abdul Rehman resident of Lower Ponar, Basantgarh Udhampur.
More reinforcement has already reached the spot and the whole area has been cordoned off, reports said.
The terrain is difficult as it is at a high altitude, so the operation to flush out terrorists will take longer.
The Special Operations Group of police along with Army and CRPF parties were rushed to the area to strengthen the cordon and neutralize the terrorists, the spokesperson added.
Two separate groups of terrorists moving into this area
Reports said that security forces have received information about the movement of two groups of terrorists in the Basantgarh area which connects the Doda district of Jammu province.
It is also believed that these terrorists recently infiltrated on this side from the International Border in Kathua district and were moving towards Kashmir Valley via the Chenab region. Reports said these terrorists were especially pushed into this side of the border to create disturbance during elections in Kashmir Valley.
Terrorists usually infiltrate through the Kathua district and try to sneak into the Kashmir Valley through the dense forest of Dodu-Basantgarh via the Doda district.
One of the groups with five members was confronted, while there was no trace of the other group, which has four members and whose movement was last reported in the Machedi top area bordering Kathua. The Army airdropped Special Forces in the forest area and a massive search operation is underway to track and neutralize the terrorists.
