Jammu, Mar 28: The body of the fourth police personnel was sighted near the site of the gunfight in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district on Friday as the anti-terrorist operation continued in the area.

Officials said that the body of the fourth policeman was sighted through a drone near the encounter site today taking the toll of J&K police personnel martyred in this operation to four.

Five terrorists have been killed in this operation which continues as per officials.

Seven security personnel including a Deputy SP, five policemen and a para commando of the army were injured in this operation.

Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha, and Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah have paid tribute to the policemen who laid down their lives in the service of the nation.

Officials said that five terrorists have been killed while five jawans of special operations group (SOG) of J&K police were martyred in the anti-terrorist operation in Ghati Heights of Sufiyan Jakhole village of Kathua district.

The injured have been shifted to hospital in Jammu city while the Dy.SP is being treated at the government medical college (GMC) hospital in Kathua.

The operation against the terrorists was started today morning with the first light.

Given the number of terrorists those were seen at Sanyal village on Sunday and the fact that five terrorists have been killed in Ghati Heights of Safiyan Jakhole village, it is confirmed that this is the same group, which had escaped from Sanyal village and was now trying to cross over to Billawar in Kathua district through Ghati Heights.

Official sources said that civilians observed movement of terrorists at village Safiyan Jakhole Ghati heights at 7 a.m. on Thursday and alerted the police.

“Teams of local police and the SOG headed by SDPO Border, Dheeraj Katoch rushed to the spot and engaged terrorists in the gunbattle, who were well equipped with sophisticated weapons like M4 Carbines. Later, army personnel including para commandos were air dropped and reinforcements of police and paramilitary personnel reached to the spot to join the operation.

“Three SOG personnel who were part of first team to reach the spot were martyred in the operation while the Deputy SP Border was injured. One Para Commando and six policemen including the Deputy SP sustained injuries," an official said.

The official further said: "Three terrorists have been neutralized till last evening. Their bodies are lying in a hill and will be brought down once the operation is over. Body of one of the terrorists has been burnt. All of them are believed to be Pakistanis."

“The police martyrs have been identified as Tariq Ahmad, Jaswant Singh and Balwinder Singh, all selection grade constables of J&K police. Terrorists are believed to be part of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit. They appeared to be well trained."

It has been learned that the gunfight triggered intense firing and explosions with the army using rocket launchers to eliminate the terrorists, who fired heavily with M4 Carbines and other sophisticated weapons and also used grenades.

Local youth were seen assisting the security forces to carry heavy weapons and ammunition deep inside a gorge.

“Senior police officers are camping at the spot supervising the operation. Special army para commandos were airdropped in the evening on Thursday to further strengthen the cordon around the area. “The dead bodies of five terrorists were sighted by drones and would be retrieved on Friday morning," official sources said.

--IANS

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