Four terrorists have been killed in an encounter between security forces and terrorists near Ban toll plaza in Jammu’s Nagrota district at the Jammu and Kashmir highway, early Thursday morning. This also led to the closure of Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and heightened security in the area. The killed terrorists were believed to be the members of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), the United Nations-designated terror group, police sources said. Sources say it is a group of terrorists who had recently infiltrated from the international border in Jammu. According to reports, the terrorists were trapped and there was gun firing from both the ends. The terrorists were on their way to Kashmir from Jammu in a truck. The encounter started after the vehicle in which a group of terrorists were hiding was intercepted by the security forces at the toll plaza of Nagrota on the highway. They were hiding in a cavity inside the truck and were on their way to the Kashmir valley. The area has been cordoned off and additional forces have reached the spot. Confirming the incident, DGP Jammu Kashmir Police Dilbagh Singh said, “Terrorists affiliated with JEM group have been killed at Ban toll plaza in Jammu -Kashmir Highway near Nagrota. They infiltrated from Samba Sector. The terrorists lobbed a grenade on security forces during checking.” Two SOG men of the J&K police have been injured in the gunfight, officials said. The gunfight which according to the officials started around 5 AM. The officials said that the gunbattle started near the toll plaza in the Ban area of Nagrota when some militants opened fire at police and paramilitary forces. The Army also joined the operation, they said. In the initial phase of the gunfight, they said, two SOG personnel were injured who were later hospitalized. A policeman sustained injuries during the gunfight with the terrorists.
