Indian Army officer, 3 jawans killed in Doda encounter, JeM-backed group claims responsibility

Three Indian Army jawans and an officer, who got critically injured in a gunfight with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda area, succumbed to their injuries on early Tuesday morning, newswire PTI reported. 

"Four Indian Army soldiers, including an officer, have been killed in action during an encounter with terrorists in the Doda area of Jammu and Kashmir. The operations are still going on," as per officials. 

The encounter took place around 7:45 pm on Monday when Rashtriya Rifles and J&K Police's Special Operations Group launched a joint cordon and search operation around 55 kms from Doda Town.

Security personnel suffered injuries during the encounter, which initially lasted for 20 minutes. The operation was launched based on the inputs about the presence of terrorists in the area.

Additional troops were moved in to tighten the cordon, as per officials. Around 2-3 terrorists were hiding in the area. Meanwhile, Kashmir Tigers, a shadow group of the Pakistan-backed and based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) has taken the responsibility for the attack.

In a statement, the terror outfit said the clash and gunfire took place when the security forces launched a search operation for the 'Mujahideen.' Kashmir Tigers is the same group which also claimed responsibility for the attack on an Army convoy in Kathua on July 9.

Moreover, J&K Police recovered old arms and ammunition from a terrorist hideout in the Reasi district. The arms and ammunition recovered include 30 rounds of AK-47, one magazine of AK-47 rifle, and one HE-36 hand grenade.

After a series of terror attacks in the past few weeks, security forces are on high alert in Jammu and Kashmir.