Cordon and search operation launched in two villages of J&K's Anantnag after inputs of terrorists' presence

A cordon and search operation was launched on Wednesday in two villages of Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, after credible inputs of the presence of terrorists in the area. The operation was conducted in Arwani Bijbehara and Bonpora Shangus villages. This comes at the backdrop of two terrorist attacks and an encounter in the district within a span of a week.

June 12: Six Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed when their patrol party was attacked by terrorists in Anantnag. Those who lost their lives in the attack are ASI Ramesh Kumar, ASI Nirod Sarma, Station House Officer (SHO) Arshad Khan, CT Satendra Kumar, CT Mahesh Kr Kushwaha and CT Sandeep Yadav. The suicide attack was carried out at KP Road in Anantnag at 4:50 pm on June 12 when two motorcycle-borne terrorists opened fire at a CRPF patrol party. In the ensuing gunfight, one terrorist was killed. Though Al-Umar Mujahideen, a defunct terror group, has claimed responsibility for the strike, officials, however, said that it was a handiwork of Jaish-e-Mohammad. 

June 17: A team of security personnel was attacked by terrorists during a combing operation in Anantnag district. Army Major Ketan Sharma was martyred in the encounter. Another soldier was injured and is undergoing treatment. The attack took in Badoora area of Achabal in the district. A terrorist was also killed in the exchange of fire. The joint operation was conducted by 19 Rashtriya Rifles, Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Security forces had cordoned off the area and launched a search operation after receiving inputs of the presence of terrorists in the area from credible sources. The search operation turned into an encounter after the terrorists fired at the forces, who retaliated. 

June 18: A soldier was martyred and another injured when an encounter broke out early in the morning between terrorists and security forces in Anantnag district. At least two terrorists of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist group were also killed in the encounter. Jaish commander Sajad Bhat, the owner of the vehicle which was used on February 14 CRPF attack at Awantipora was killed during the encounter. He was also the owner of the vehicle used for the IED attack on Monday. The exchange of fire took place at Marhama Sangam village near Bijbihara town of the district. The 33 Rashtriya Rifles of the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had launched a joint operation. A search was launched before dawn in the area. The terrorists fired an Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) upon searching.