A Special Police Officer (SPO) was killed when the encounter between militants and security forces, which started on Thursday, resumed in the forest area of Mendhar in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said on Saturday. The slain SPO has been identified as Naresh Kumar of the Special Operation Group (SOG), Poonch. JCO Rakesh Kumar and Naik P K Singh, besides four militants, have so far been killed in the ongoing gun-battle.

A retired assistant sub-inspector of J-K police, Muzaffar Hussain Shan, was arrested for his alleged links with the terrorists who are engaged in the encounter. He is a resident of Tope near Batidhar.

No terrorists were reported to be killed on Saturday in the operation. On Friday, four terrorists were killed by security forces. The fierce gun-battle between the terrorists and the security forces comprising Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police is still continuing.

Official sources said the operation has been joined by the troops of 37 RR. Earlier, the joint operation was started by the 39 RR and the Special Operation Group of the Jammu and Kashmir Police. Sources said about half a dozen terrorists were still firing indiscriminately on the operation team. The terrorists were armed with highly sophisticated weapons, including hand grenades which they are lobbing at the operation party.

The apprehended retired ASI has been sent to Joint Interrogation Centre, Jammu, for interrogation. Sources pointed out that the terrorists, engaged in the Mendhar encounter, were staying in the Batidhar forest area and had been getting logistic support from a few locals before the joint operation by the security forces was launched following specific tip off regarding presence of terrorists in the forest area.

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