SRINAGAR: An encounter broke out between militants and security forces in the Akhal forest area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Friday evening, while police, in a separate operation, allegedly foiled a terror plot by arresting three youths with arms and ammunition in Anantnag.A police official said a joint team of police, Army, and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in the Akhal forest area of Devsar in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district in the evening after receiving specific inputs about the presence of terrorists.He said that during the search operation, troops came under fire from militants hiding in the forest area.The fire was returned by the troops, leading to an intermittent exchange of gunfire between the two sides.Additional troops have been rushed to the area to tighten the siege and prevent the militants from escaping, a security official said.He said security forces suspect the presence of a group of 3–4 militants in the area.The encounter follows a recent gunfight in the forest area of Dachigam in Harwan on the outskirts of Srinagar, in which three Pakistani militants of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), who were allegedly involved in the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack, were killed. Among the three killed was Suleman Shah, allegedly the mastermind of the attack.Meanwhile, police claimed to have foiled a terror plot in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district by arresting three persons and recovering arms and ammunition from them.“A security naka was set up by police, CRPF and army near Panchayat Ghar Krad in Anantnag district. During the checking of the vehicle, an Alto 800 vehicle was signalled to stop. However, the driver attempted to flee but was intercepted by the naka party,” a police official said.He said the driver and two persons travelling in the vehicle were arrested and, upon search of the vehicle and the suspects, arms and ammunition were recovered.“The preliminary investigation suggests the trio had procured arms and ammunition from LeT and were likely planning to carry out a terror act in the region,” the police official said.
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