Ahead of the third and final round of polling on October 1, a joint team of security forces gunned down two unidentified terrorists on Saturday while five security personnel, including an officer, sustained injuries in an encounter in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

Based on specific intelligence about the presence of terrorists, a joint search operation was launched by security  forces at village Kog (Mandli) (J/D of P/S Billawar) at Kathua. Contact has been established and a few rounds have been fired from both sides. Area is cordoned off. ADG Police, Jammu range Anand Jain said in a statement.

The gunbattle broke out in Arigam village in the Devsar area of the district after security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation there early in the morning.

Srinagar-based Chinar Corps in a post on X said, “Based on specific intelligence input, a joint operation was launched by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir police at Arigam, Kulgam.

“During the search, terrorists fired indiscriminately and a firefight ensued. Two terrorists have been eliminated by the security forces in the ongoing Operation”.

Confirming the recovery of two dead bodies from the encounter site, Kashmir Zone Police posted on X, “Two bodies recovered from the encounter site. Identification & affiliation are being ascertained. Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition recovered. Search in progress”.

The security forces also recovered two x AK Rifles, ammunition and other war-like stores from the terrorists.

The security forces also suffered injuries during the firefight. According to official sources, three Army personnel and two police officers, including an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), were injured in a gunbattle with terrorists in Arigam.

Additional Superintendent of Police (Traffic) suffered minor injuries due to a stray bullet near the encounter site, officials said.

Earlier on September 14, three terrorists were gunned down by the joint team of security forces in the Kreeri area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district. The security forces were able to neutralise a group of hiding terrorists after identifying their exact locations inside the building with the help of drone cameras. In this month, so far nine terrorists have been eliminated during anti-terrorist operations across different parts of Jammu and Kashmir.