A brief exchange of fire in Doda district of Jammu on Thursday night has caused a fresh scare among residents.

Police sources said there was an exchange of fire between militants and members of the civilian militia Village Defence Guards (VDG) around 11pm at Kralaan Bhatta village in Doda, a few kilometres from the place where militants killed an army captain and three other soldiers on the night of July 15.

The fresh exchange of fire is believed to have taken place with the same group of militants who killed the soldiers. No casualties or injuries were reported.

The militants have since disappeared into the woods, although the operation to flush them out continued for the third consecutive day.

A VDG member told reporters that three militants were seen in the area by one of his associates, who immediately alerted the army.

Dessa resident and former village head Hem Raj said that although the exchange of fire was brief, it had added to the panic among locals. Tuesday’s gunfight took place in the Urarbaggi forest area, a few kilometres from Dessa.

“There have been three incidents of firing in the area falling under Bhagwah tehsil in the past month. Our area was peaceful for years but these incidents have disturbed the peace. We dread going out in the evenings,” he said.

Two more incidents were reported in other parts of the district during this period. On June 26, three militants were gunned down in Gandoh area of Doda district, Jammu.