An unidentified militant and a soldier lost their lives, while two soldiers and a policeman sustained injuries during an encounter that took place on Tuesday in Narla village of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir, according to officials.
Following intelligence reports indicating suspicious militant activity in the area, the security forces launched a joint operation by the Army and police under the Teryath police post jurisdiction.
Additional Director General of Police Mukesh Singh confirmed the loss of one soldier and the death of an unidentified militant during the operation.
Despite the identification of the slain militant, retrieving the body remained a challenging task due to the continued exchange of gunfire. The security forces suspect that one to two additional militants may be hiding in the nearby forested area. The cordon and search operation around the area has been intensified with deployment of additional lighting to counteract the darkness of nightfall.
