J&K: Terror attack on Army post in Rajouri thwarted, search operation launched

Army troops foiled a terrorist attack on a security post in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district early on Monday (July 22) and launched a cordon and search operation to track them down, officials said.

The terrorists fired at an Army post in the Gundha area of Rajouri district at 4 am, and troops guarding the post retaliated, resulting in a fierce exchange of fire, an Army spokesperson said.

“A major terror attack on an Army picket in a remote village of Rajouri has been thwarted,” defence spokesperson Lt. Col. Suneel Bartwal said.

The troops foiled the attack, following which a cordon and search operation was launched by security forces in the area, the spokesperson added.

Unconfirmed reports said a jawan and a civilian suffered injuries in the attack.

However, fresh firing between terrorists and security forces has broken out in the area, while the cordon and search operation is underway, the officials said.

Sources said the terrorists first tried to attack the house of a village defence group (VDG) member and ex-serviceman on the outskirts of a hamlet but the presence of police personnel forced them to flee the area and later target the Army post.

This latest attack comes only days after the chief of Army General Upendra Dwivedi had a review of the existing security situation at a joint security review meeting with J&K police, intelligence agencies, and paramilitary forces.

There have been almost a dozen terror attacks in several districts of Jammu this year resulting in the deaths of 27 people.

(With agency inputs)