Jammu and Kashmir witnesses four terrorist attacks in 24 hours

In the latest attack, a soldier was martyred and another injured when an encounter broke out early on Tuesday morning between terrorists and security forces in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir. The exchange of fire took place at Marhama Sangam village near Bijbihara town of the district.

As per sources, 2-3 terrorists are believed to be trapped in the area. The 33 Rashtriya Rifles of the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have launched a joint operation. A search was launched before dawn in the area. The terrorists fired an Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) upon searching. The operation is underway. This is the fourth terrorist attack in the state.

In the first attack, a team of security personnel was attacked by terrorists during a combing operation in Anantnag district on Monday morning. 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 is being 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. 

In the second attack, a multi-vehicle patrol of the 44 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) was targeted when terrorists fitted an improvised explosive device (IED) in a vehicle near the vehicle. Nine Army personnel and two civilians were injured in the attack. The vehicle was moving on Arihal-Pulwama road when the IED was detonated by the terrorists, injuring the personnel travelling in a bullet-and-mine-proof Casper vehicle. The injured were admitted to a hospital and all of them were reported to be in stable condition.

Srinagar-based defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said it was a "failed attempt" to attack the patrol and except for a "few minor injuries, all troops are safe". "A failed attempt was made to attack a mobile vehicle patrol of 44 RR with a vehicle-based IED while the Army patrol was moving in the general area Arihal in district Pulwama today evening," he said in a statement.

"Troops are all safe, (except a) few minor injuries," the defence spokesman said, adding the damage was minimised due to the alertness of the patrol team. The site of the blast is 27 kms from the area where a convoy of vehicles carrying security personnel on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was attacked by a suicide bomber on February 14 in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

In the third attack, terrorists lobbed a grenade at the headquarters of 180 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) battalion camp in Tral sub-district of Pulwama late on Monday evening.The grenade exploded outside the headquarters. However, no injuries or casualties have been reported.