Key Points

Officials said that the security forces surrounded the Tangmarg area in Kulgam after getting intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists there.

"As the security forces closed in on the hiding terrorists, they fired, triggering an encounter, which is now going on. Additional reinforcements have been rushed to the area to ensure that the terrorists are prevented from escaping," an official said.

Earlier in the day, the Army's Srinagar-headquartered Chinar Corps posted on X that "approximately 2-3 terrorists attempted to infiltrate through the general area of Sarjeevan at Uri Nala, Baramulla" and "alert troops on the Line of Control (LC) challenged and intercepted them, leading to a firefight".

The Kulgam encounter and the Baramulla infiltration bid on the LoC came a day after Pakistan-sponsored terrorists killed 26 innocent civilians in a meadow near Pahalgam in Anantnag district..

The slain tourists included a navy officer, who was married on April 16, and an IB officer.

Eye-witnesses said that a local, identified as Adil, clashed with the terrorists in order to save the tourists. He tried to snatch the weapon from a terrorist and was shot dead.

A massive anti-terrorist operation is going on in Baisaran meadow, where the terrorists carried out the massacre of innocent tourists.

The operation is tech-assisted with drones, helicopters and other electronic equipment to trace and hunt down the terrorists.

Security forces have also released sketches of terrorists suspected to have carried out the massacre.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the Baisaran meadow and took stock of the operation being carried out to hunt down the terrorists. This visit to ground zero carried a powerful message that the nation is determined to avenge the innocent killings carried out by the terrorists.

Amit Shah also met the families of the slain tourists and those injured in the terrorist attack. He assured the families that the blood of their loved ones would be avenged, and those who carried out the terror attack, as well as those who directed the terrorists to kill innocent tourists, would have to pay a heavy price.

The Union Home Minister later flew back to New Delhi to brief the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and also attend the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) being chaired by the Prime Minister.

- IANS