Army Officer, Four Jawans Killed In Encounter In J&K's Poonch

Five soldiers of the Indian Army, including a Junior Commissioned Officer, were killed in action in the Poonch sector of the Line of Control in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir earlier today.

"The critically injured JCO and four jawans were evacuated to the nearest medical facility but succumbed to their injuries. The operation is still going on," the Army said in its official statement.

According to reports, a counter-insurgency operation was launched in the early hours of the day in the Surankote area in Poonch after the forces received intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists.

"Teams of police and Army rushed to the spot after receiving this information and the entire area has been cordoned," an official was quoted by India Today as saying.

The terrorists, who were hiding, opened fire on the search party. The soldiers were critically injured in the fierce gunfight that followed.