Fierce encounter underway in Kulgam village

Srinagar, Nov 16: Terrorists are trapped in Samno Nehama village of Kulgam district of south Kashmir where an encounter between security forces and terrorists has been underway since Thursday evening, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Virdi Kumar Birdi said.

The encounter broke out in Samno village after J&K Police, 34 Rashtriya Rifles, and CRPF cordoned off the village on a tip about the presence of terrorists in the area.
As searches were undertaken by the joint parties, the hiding terrorists opened fire at them and was returned, triggering an encounter.
“#Encounter has started at Samno, D H Pora area of #Kulgam district. Police and Security Forces are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice,” Kashmir Zone Police posted on X soon after the encounter broke.

“Exchange of fire is on and some terrorists are trapped,” IGP Kashmir, V K Birdi told Greater Kashmir. “It will take time.”
Some reports, citing sources, said that at least three to four terrorists were believed to be trapped as security forces closed in on their positions.
This incident follows a similar encounter in October where security forces killed two terrorists in Kulgam. The Police had identified the slain terrorists as having links to Hizbul Mujahideen, a banned terrorist organisation.

Senior Police officials here said that terrorists whose exact number was not known were hiding in a residential house and houses and security forces were carrying out operations to kill them without much collateral damage.

“Since the start of operation a heavy exchange of fire is going on,” senior Police officials said.
They said that in the backdrop of the night, the cordon had been further tightened and all exit and entrance points had been blocked.
Senior officers of Police, Army, and paramilitary forces are on the spot and are monitoring the anti-terror operation.
Additional reinforcements have also been rushed to the spot.

Last Thursday, a local terrorist, affiliated with the proscribed terror outfit, The Resistance Front (TRF), was killed by a joint team of J&K Police and security forces in the nearby Shopian district of south Kashmir.

In the first week of August, three Army soldiers were killed in an encounter with terrorists in the district.
The encounter had started based on specific information about the presence of terrorists in the Halan forests area.
That was a joint operation conducted by the Army and Police.