JAMMU: Security forces killed a terrorist in a shootout late Tuesday evening after a group of three gunmen threw a grenade and fired gunshots at a house in Seda Sohal village of Hiranagar tehsil in J&K’s Kathua district, critically injuring one villager. This comes after Sunday’s deadly ambush on a bus carrying pilgrims in Reasi district, where nine people were killed and 41 wounded.
Officials have remained silent on the civilians getting injured in Kathua, which is close to the International Border with Pakistan.PMO MoS Jitendra Singh, who is also the MP for Kathua in Jammu division, tweeted: “One terrorist neutralised so far.” He said he was in contact with district SSP Anayat Ali Choudhary and the owner of the attacked house via mobile phone.
The attack on Seda Sohal occurred after locals sounded the alarm over “suspicious movement” in the area, prompting the gunmen to attack and escape to nearby forests. “A manhunt was launched, resulting in the death of one terrorist,” an official said.
Panic spread through the area following the attack as it happened just two days after the pilgrim bus ambush in Reasi, which is close to LoC.
Earlier, on May 18 and 19, a search was prompted by reports of suspicious movement of three men in the area. Before that, villagers in Jathana of Kathua district had reported spotting six suspicious men, leading to a similar search operation on May 14, but no arrests were made.