In the run-up to the first phase of polling across 24 Assembly segments on September 18, Pakistan has stepped up efforts to spread the reign of terror to discourage enthusiastic voters from participating in the maiden assembly polls taking place after the Abrogation of Article 370 in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
On Wednesday, two major provocative incidents were reported in the Jammu region which indicated terrorist handlers and their sympathizers in Pakistan are desperately trying to disturb the peaceful conduct of the upcoming Assembly polls.
In one incident, two heavily armed Pakistani terrorists, hiding in the upper reaches of Basantgarh bordering Kathua and Udhampur districts, were neutralized by the joint team of security forces late Wednesday evening.
In a separate incident, a BSF jawan was injured during unprovoked firing by the Pakistani rangers on the border outpost of BSF in the Akhnoor sector. In response, BSF troops 'effectively' retaliated to give a befitting reply to the Pakistani rangers. However, there was no official confirmation whether the Pakistani rangers suffered any fatal injuries or not.
Confirming the elimination of two foreign terrorists in the ongoing operation, Rising Star Corps of the Indian Army posted on X, "Two Terrorists neutralized in the ongoing Operation at Khandara Kathua by troops of Rising Star Corps—operations in progress".
The initial contact was established during ongoing search operations launched by the security forces to pin down the group of terrorists roaming in the area.
After the brief exchange of fire between terrorists and security forces additional troops were rushed to the encounter site to plug the possible exit routes along the Khandara top. A group of more than three terrorists was spotted in the area after which search operations were launched to neutralise them inside the deep forests.
On September 9, two heavily armed terrorists believed to be Pakistani were neutralized by the troops of the Indian army while they were attempting to infiltrate inside the Indian territory in the Laam sector of Nowshera in the frontier district of Rajouri on Monday.
For the past several days, different parts of Jammu and Kashmir have been witnessing an 'unprecedented' response to the high-voltage campaigning by the candidates representing various political parties.
The atmosphere in Kashmir valley is electrifying as many candidates are canvassing as late as midnight in their native villages and 'mohallas' in the urban centers amid tight security arrangements.
In Jammu, unconfirmed reports indicated the BSF soldier was targeted by a sniper from across the International border. Senior BSF officials of the Jammu frontier rushed to the forward area to take stock of the ground situation.
A Jammu-based BSF spokesman in a statement said, “At about 2.35 am, an incident of unprovoked firing in the Akhnoor area from across the border happened and which was befittingly responded by the BSF. One BSF personnel sustained injuries in Pakistani firing.”
He said the troops are on high alert and keeping a strict vigil all along the International Border and Line of Control.
Last year, a BSF jawan was killed in Pakistan Rangers firing in the Ramgarh sector, the first loss of life on the Indian side in more than three years.
On August 29, three terrorists were gunned down by the alert troops in two separate anti-infiltration operations along the line of control in the Machhal and Tangdhar sectors of Kupwara.
On August 19, a heavily armed group of Pakistani terrorists targeted an area domination patrol party comprising jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Special Operations Group of Jammu Kashmir Police (JKP) in the remote Duddu Basantgarh area of Udhampur in which one Inspector rank CRPF officer sacrificed his life in the line of duty.
