Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday spoke to the Indian Army chief, who apprised him about the ground situation and ongoing operation in J&K's Doda. According to sources Rajnath Singh has given free hand and liberty to act. Four army personnel, including an officer, who were critically injured in a gunfight with heavily armed terrorists, succumbed to injuries in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir early Tuesday, official sources said. The latest incident comes a week after a terrorist ambush on an Army patrol in the remote Machedi forest belt in Kathua district claimed the lives of five soldiers and injured as many.
The encounter took place when the troops of Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operations Group of J&K Police launched a joint cordon and search operation at Dhari Gote Urarbagi in Desa forest belt, some 55 km from Doda town, late Monday evening, the officials said.
After a brief exchange of fire, they said the terrorists tried to escape but were chased by the brave troops led by an officer despite challenging terrain, thick foliage leading to another firefight in the woods around 9 pm. Five soldiers were critically injured in the encounter and four of them, including the officer, later succumbed to injuries, the officials said.
Series of encounters
A few days back, five Army personnel were killed and as many were injured when a group of heavily armed terrorists ambushed a patrolling party in the Badnota area in Kathua. Nine persons, including seven pilgrims from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, were killed and 41 injured in the attack when the terrorists opened fire on the bus carrying pilgrims returning from Shiv Khori shrine near Teryath village in the Pouni area.
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