J&K Encounter: Army JCO Killed, 3 Soldiers Injured After Gunfight With Terrorists In Kishtwar

Representational Image. (PTI)

Jammu And Kashmir News: A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Army's special forces died on Sunday, while three other soldiers sustained injuries in a gunfight with terrorists in a remote forest area in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, news agency PTI reported, citing officials. The latest operation came as a part of an intensified hunt underway since the killing of two Village Defence Guards (VDGs) recently.

According to the Army, the deceased officer was identified as Naib Subedar Rakesh Kumar of 2 Para. According to PTI, the encounter broke out around 11 AM when joint search parties of the Army and police intercepted the terrorists in the Keshwan forest. It was just a few kilometres from the spot where the bullet-riddled bodies of VDGs Nazir Ahmad and Kuldeep Kumar were found.

On Thursday, a massive search operation was launched in the forests of Kuntwara and Keshwan in the evening after the terrorists abducted and killed the VDGs. In a post on X, the Army's Jammu-based White Knight Corps said, "Based on specific intelligence input regarding the presence of terrorists, a joint operation was launched by security forces in general area Bhart Ridge, Kishtwar. This is the same group which had abducted and killed 02 (two) innocent villagers (village defence guards). Contact was established and firefight ensued."

Briefing about the encounter with the terrorists, the officials said that four Army personnel, including the JCO, were injured in the initial gunfight and evacuated to a hospital. After arriving to the hospital, the condition of three of them was stated to be "critical." The JCO later succumbed to injuries.

"GOC (General Officer Commanding) White Knight Corps and all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of braveheart, Nb Sub Rakesh Kumar of 2 Para (SF). Sub Rakesh was part of a joint CI (counter-insurgency) operation launched in the general area of Bhart Ridge Kishtwar. We stand with bereaved family in this hour of grief," the Army said in its latest tweet.

Earlier, a police spokesperson also confirmed that an encounter was underway with the terrorists responsible for the killing of the two VDGs. "Three or four terrorists are believed to be trapped in the area," the official said, as quoted by PTI. The officials said a massive search operation was going on till the last reports were received.

(With PTI Inputs)