RAWALAKOT: A Rangers official was martyred and another wounded after security personnel responding to reports of gunfire came under attack near the Matial Maira bus terminal in Rawalakot, according to security and police officials.
Authorities alleged that armed members of the banned Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) opened fire in a civilian area early Tuesday, prompting a response from law enforcement agencies.
Police said officers, supported by security forces, were dispatched to restore order but were met with gunfire from the attackers. Rangers personnel who joined the operation also came under fire, resulting in the death of one official and injuries to another.
According to the AJK Police, the banned organisation allegedly carried out the attack after failing to attract public support in recent weeks. Officials claimed the group intended to create unrest and falsely attribute the violence to security forces. Police added that the incident was documented through aerial surveillance.
The police further alleged that explosives were used during the confrontation. A security operation is continuing in the area to clear armed militants and restore normalcy.
Officials also claimed that some local residents had been held at gunpoint during the violence. They described the incident as further evidence of the group’s alleged involvement in armed activities and efforts to disrupt public order.
The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government declared the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) a proscribed organisation under the Anti-Terrorism Act on June 5, alleging that it was involved in terrorist activities.
The ban came days before the group’s planned June 9 protest against the allocation of 12 seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly reserved for refugees from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) who migrated to Pakistan after 1947.
