New Delhi: In a fresh wave of violence, six suspected militants were gunned down and two army soldiers laid down their lives in two gun-battles in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, officials said on Sunday (July 7). An Army soldier was also injured in a militant attack on an Army camp in Jammu.
The killings took place at a time when the Amarnath yatra was underway in the Kashmir valley with the director general of Jammu and Kashmir Police R.R. Swain terming the operations in Kulgam as a “big milestone” for the security forces.
“We can confirm from the bodies that six terrorists have been gunned down. This shows the strength of our human intelligence and security architecture. We will have more such success in future,” Swain said, adding that one of the two operations was going on in Kulgam.
“There are reports of local terrorists being among those who were killed. We will confirm the identities when the operation is over,” he said.
Two gun-battle broke out on Saturday when a joint team of security forces launched a ‘cordon and search operation’ in the villages of Mudergam and Chinigam in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, a dozen kilometres apart, following reports about the presence of suspected militants.
In the initial exchange of gunfire, an army commando identified as Lance Naik Pradeep Nain, of 1 Para, was killed in Modergam village while Havaldar Raj Kumar, of 1 Rashtriya Rifles, was lethally wounded in the second encounter at Chinigam village which is still underway.
Additional reinforcements were dispatched to both villages and security forces tightened the cordon. To prevent the suspects from escaping, the forces also flew drones and helicopters around the encounter sites to keep a close eye on developments.
During the exchange of gunfire, police claimed that four militants were gunned down at Chinigam. They have been reportedly identified as Zahid Ahmad Dar, Yawar Bashir Dar, Tawheed Ahmad Rather and Shakeel Ahmad Wani, all residents of Kulgam district.
Having Lived in #Frisal ( #Kulgam) For 2 Years in Tents During Peak of Terrorism in 90s and neutralising nearly 300 terrorists in as many operations and not losing even a single soldier is a record of my Unit.
Loss of 2 soldiers yesterday in same village is really painful. pic.twitter.com/nINYEgqZNUAdvertisement— Brigadier Hardeep Singh Sohi,Shaurya Chakra (R) (@Hardisohi) July 8, 2024
According to reports, the two suspected militants killed in the ongoing gun battle in Modergam have been identified as Zahid Ahmad Dar and Yawar Bashir Dar, also residents of Kulgam. The affiliation of the militants who were killed is not clear yet.
Meanwhile, an army soldier was injured when suspected militants attacked an army camp in Manjakote village of Rajouri, along the Line of Control in Jammu division. However, a vigilant soldier guarding the Territorial Army camp in the Galuthi village reportedly foiled the attempt by returning fire, forcing the militants to retreat.
“The firing continued for about 30 minutes during which one soldier was injured. However, the terrorists managed to escape into the nearby forest and a manhunt has been launched to nab them,” a senior police officer said.
Officials said that the army soldier, who was in a sentry post at the entrance to the camp, suffered injuries in the abdomen during the attack, which took place at about 4 am. He was evacuated to the nearby military hospital where his condition is reportedly stable.
The Jammu division has seen an upsurge in militant activity in recent weeks and months. In June, three militant attacks were reported in the districts of Doda, Kathua and Reasi in three days, including the shooting on a passenger bus in which nine civilians were killed. These attacks had prompted security agencies to review their deployment strategy in the region.
According to reports, Saifullah Sajid Jatt, a resident of Shangamanga village in Kasur district of Pakistan’s Punjab and a commander of The Resistance Front, which officials believe is an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, was involved in the spike in violence in Jammu and Kashmir. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has announced a bounty of Rs 10 lakh on him.
Meanwhile, the army on Sunday paid tributes to the two soldiers who were killed in the gun battles in Kulgam.
“Chinar Corps Commander, Chief Secretary of J-K, DGP J-K, and other dignitaries and all ranks paid homage to Lance Naik Pardeep Kumar and Sepoy Pravin Janjal Prabhakar, who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty in Kulgam on 06 Jul 2024,” the army’s Chinar Corps posted on X on Sunday.
“Martyrdom is not the end, it’s the beginning of a Legend “#ChinarCorps Cdr, Chief Secretary UT J&K, DGP J&K, other dignitaries & all ranks paid homage to L NK Pardeep Kumar and Sep Pravin Janjal Prabhakar, who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty in #Kulgam on 06 Jul… pic.twitter.com/ORbXuBaSua
— Chinar Corps🍁 – Indian Army (@ChinarcorpsIA) July 7, 2024
“Chinar Warriors salute the valour and sacrifice of both brave hearts. We stand in solidarity with the bereaved families and are committed to their well-being,” it said.
