J&K Encounter: A difficult situation is developing in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag area. Security forces have been engaged in a protracted struggle with well-armed insurgents.
These terrorists have taken sanctuary in a cave on top of a hill, and the only trail going to them is narrow and without cover.
With dense woodlands on one side and a deep ditch on the other, the terrain is difficult.
Colonel Manpreet Singh, Major Aashish Dhonchak, and Deputy Superintendent of Police Humayun Bhat have all died as a result of this incident.
The troops acquired information about militants sheltering in Kokernag's Gadul woodlands.
They originally conducted a search but were unable to locate the terrorists. They later learned that the terrorists were on top of a hill.
The operation began early Wednesday morning, and the road the forces had to traverse was extremely difficult.
With mountains and dense woodlands on one side and a deep ditch on the other, it was narrow and dangerous.
It was made considerably more difficult by the darkness of the night.
The militants observed the forces as they neared the cave and began fire without hesitation.
The personnel were trapped on the narrow path, with little protection and the risk of falling, and had no alternative but to suffer the firing.
The exchange of fire injured Colonel Singh, Major Dhonchak, and Deputy SP Bhat.
It was unable to rescue the injured people quickly due to the intensive firing and dangerous path. Only in the morning could they be brought to a hospital.
The siege has already lasted nearly 72 hours. The forces have ringed the hill and are using drone-dropped explosives, rocket launchers, and their own weaponry.
However, the area's difficult geography has kept them from obtaining complete control.
The number of terrorists engaged may be greater than the two to three initially estimated. Uzair Khan, one of them, joined Lashkar-e-Taiba last year and has great knowledge of the area, which aids the terrorists in their escape.
Because the terrorists are well-trained, armed with advanced weapons, and appear to have inside information about the troops' movements, this confrontation has become a daunting challenge.
It's possible that information was leaked or that someone betrayed the army.
The fate of the missing soldier and the injured people is unknown. Vijay Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (Kashmir), warned former police officials and Army officers not to speculate about an ambush and told them that the ongoing operation, which is based on precise information, will continue until all trapped terrorists are neutralised.
To summarise, security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir are facing a difficult struggle as they confront militants who are entrenched in a mountain cave with limited access and rough terrain.
The encounter has been drawn out, and the terrorists' expertise and knowledge of the terrain have made the forces face a hard challenge.
