Three army personnel and a police officer were injured during an encounter with militants in the Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. A senior police officer confirmed that the condition of the injured soldiers is stable.
According to police reports, security forces received intelligence about militant movements in the Arigam area late Friday night. Upon their arrival, they encountered gunfire, leading to an exchange of shots and a prolonged encounter.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, VK Birdy, provided an update on the situation: “Security forces received information about the movement of terrorists in Arigam area late last night. When security forces arrived, they opened fire, and a shootout ensued. After that, the encounter started and is still ongoing. Three security personnel and one police officer sustained minor injuries. They are stable. The operation is in progress and will take some time to complete. More details will emerge after the completion of the operation.”
With the third phase of elections approaching, IGP Birdy emphasized that the Jammu and Kashmir Police has made all necessary arrangements. He stated, “JK Police has made all arrangements for the next phase of elections. Elections will be held in five districts of North Kashmir. All preparations are complete.”
The encounter continued into Saturday morning in the Adigam Deosar area of Kulgam district. Acting on specific intelligence, the Indian Army’s Chinar Corps and Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a joint operation in the area. This development coincides with ongoing assembly elections being held in three phases.
The first phase of assembly elections took place on September 18, followed by the second phase on September 25 across six districts: Ganderbal, Budgam, Srinagar, Rajouri, Reasi, and Poonch. The third and final phase is scheduled for October 1, with vote counting on October 8. These elections are significant for the Union Territory as they mark a decade since the last assembly polls and are the first since the abrogation of Article 370.