Civilian dies, J&K encounter toll rises to 3

The death toll from Saturday’s shootout between security forces and terrorists in the remote upper reaches of J&K’s Anantnag district rose to three, with one of the two civilians caught in crossfire dying of gunshot wounds in the hospital.
Deceased were identified as Havildar Dipak Kumar Yadav from Bihar and Lance Naik Praveen Sharma from Sirmaur (in Himachal), both attached with 1 Para Special Force, and Abdul Rashid Dar, of Kokernag.
Kashmir Zone IGP VK Birdi said presence of the two civilians close to the shootout site is “being investigated”. There are reports of locals being coerced or lured by terrorists to help them navigate the terrain. Operation to hunt down terrorists, who escaped deep into the jungles, continued despite heavy rain & challenging landscape of Ahlan Gagarmandu.
According to officials, three to four “highly trained Pakistani men” suspected to be from banned Jaish-e-Mohammed were involved in the attack on a security search team that was in pursuit of terrorists spotted in Kapran Garol in Kokernag.
The terrorists crossed Pir Panjal’s Kishtwar range and entered south Kashmir on Aug 5, escaping a manhunt in Doda district of Jammu division following an attack on July 15 that left four soldiers dead, officials said.
On Saturday, the terrorists were sighted in Ahlan Gagarmandu forest of Anantnag. As the soldiers approached the location, the hiding terrorists unleashed a barrage of gunfire, wounding six soldiers and two civilians.