2 Armymen injured in fresh gunfight in Doda; 3rd militant attack this week

It was the third militant attack in the forest areas of Desa since the one on Monday night in the Koti Desa forests, during which four soldiers, including a Captain, were killed.

On Wednesday night also, militants engaged in a brief exchange of fire with security forces in the nearby Lower Bhatta forests of Desa.

Thursday’s attack happened at the Government High School in Zadan, around 2 am. The troops had arrived there just a few hours earlier, and were set to resume search operations at dawn.

After the militants opened fire, the troops retaliated and the exchange of fire continued till 5 am, after which the militants fled into the forests.

Two soldiers were injured and one of them, who was in serious condition, was airlifted to the Army’s Command Hospital at Udhampur.

Security forces personnel, assisted by helicopter and drone surveillance, have undertaken massive searches in the forests of Doda district ever since militants attacked a joint checkpost of security forces and police at Chattergala on June 12, injuring five soldiers and a Special Police Officer.

In the midst of the search by ground troops, para commandos have also been dropped at different locations to find and neutralise absconding militants.

Security agencies believe there are now nearly two dozen militants operating in Doda and Kishtwar districts, which were declared militancy free in 2005.

Meanwhile in Jammu, Congress workers took out a protest against the rising number of attacks against security forces. The protesters, led by the party’s J&K unit president Vikar Rasool and working president Raman Bhalla among others, raised slogans against the BJP government at the Centre and unsuccessfully tried to march towards Raj Bhawan.