This encounter occurs just a day before Independence Day celebrations and as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chairs a high-profile meeting attended by the Army Chief and NSA.
New Delhi: Captain Deepak Singh, an Army officer, was killed in action on Wednesday following an encounter with a group of four terrorists in the Assar area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district. A civilian was also injured in the incident. An operation has been initiated to capture the terrorists, one of whom sustained injuries.
The encounter took place in a forested area during a cordon-and-search operation (CASO) conducted by a joint security team aimed at locating the terrorists hiding in the Shivgarh-Assar belt.
Security forces recovered a U.S.-made M4 assault rifle and three blood-soaked rucksacks containing equipment and supplies from the scene, sources reported.
Sources reported that the Army received information about the terrorists’ hideout the previous evening and subsequently engaged them. After a brief exchange of fire that night, the operation continued the following morning.
This latest terror attack in the Jammu region occurs just a day before Independence Day celebrations and while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is chairing a security review meeting attended by senior officials, including Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
Recent months have seen a surge in terror activities in the Jammu region, especially in the southern areas of the Pir Panjal range. This region, with its dense forests and steep mountains, offers ample cover for terrorists, raising concerns about the potential resurgence of militancy in the area.
The threat of terrorism had been largely dormant in this area for some time.
Earlier this month, the government announced the implementation of a new security matrix for Jammu and Kashmir to address the rising attacks on civilians, military personnel, and camps by terrorists. This includes the recent encounter in Anantnag district on Sunday, where two soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Two civilians were also injured in the gun battle, which occurred when an Army patrol on a routine anti-terror operation in the forests of Kokernag came under attack. In the same area last September, terrorists killed a Commanding Officer, a Major, and a Deputy Superintendent of Police.
Last month, one soldier was killed and another injured in an encounter in Kupwara district, where the Army reported eliminating a “Pakistani intruder.” This attack took place a day after Kargil Vijay Diwas, during which Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed that the Army would overcome every terror challenge.
