SRINAGAR: Ahead of the first phase of three-phase Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir on September 18, two gunfights broke out on Sunday between militants and security forces in border districts of Poonch and Kathua in Jammu region. A security official said a gunfight erupted in Poonch district when militants fired on the joint search party of police and army in the forest area of Pathanateer area. “The exchange of gunfire between the two sides continued for some time.

Militants then moved into the dense forest area,” the official said, adding that additional troops have been rushed to the area. The security forces were using drones and other surveillance gadgets to track down the movement of militants hiding in the forest area. “The search operation was going on when reports last came,” he said. While troops were hunting for militants in Poonch forests, another gunfight broke out between militants and troops in Bani area of Kathua district.

A police official said acting on specific intelligence about the presence of militants, a search operation was launched by the Special Operations Group (SOG) in the area. “During the search operation, there was a brief exchange of gunfire between security forces and hiding militants,” he said. After the gunfight, more contingents of police, army and paramilitary force were rushed to the area to plug the escape routes, the official said.

Four encounters have taken place in J&K in the last three days, killing three militants and two soldiers. Of the four, three have taken place in Jammu region and one in Valley. There has been a surge in terror attacks and encounters in the Jammu region sinceJune this year. Militants are resorting to jungle warfare and have carried out hit-and-run attacks on security forces in Kathua, Doda, Kishtwar, Udhampur, Rajouri and Poonch districts.

About 4000 additional troops, including 500 elite para commandos, have been deployed in the Jammu region to tackle the growing militancy and check infiltration from across the border.