J&K: Encounter breaks out between terrorists and security forces in Pulwama

An encounter broke out on Sunday (January 12) morning between joint security forces and terrorists in Tral, which lies in the Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. 2-3 terrorists are believed to be trapped in the gunfire.

According to news agency PTI, the terrorists launched an assault after security forces had initiated a joint cordon and search operation in the Gulshanpora area of Tral in South Kashmir on Sunday morning. The search operation, initiated by the security forces after receiving special intelligence, was intended to smoke out extremist militants, who remained in hiding in the area.

As the forces were conducting the search operation, the terrorists opened fire at them, which triggered the encounter. The security forces are retaliating heavily, a police official told news agencies.

For context, security forces had arrested two Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists - Naveed Babu and Asif Rather - yesterday at Wanpoh in south Kashmir's Kulgam district. The encounter between the security forces and the terrorists has now occurred just a day later of the arrest.

The police will be conducting a thorough investigation and search of the area soon.