NEW DELHI, Sept 8: Two army personnel, including a junior commissioned officer, have been killed in action and one more soldier was injured during a fierce encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Monday.
Earlier, two terrorists were gunned down by the security forces during the encounter, which started early in the morning. The Army said the personnel killed included Subedar Perbhat Gaur and Lance Naik Narender Sindhu. The elite paratroopers were part of the operation that was jointly launched by the Army, police and CRPF.
“Chinar Corps honours the supreme sacrifice of the Bravehearts, Sub Perbhat Gaur and L/Nk Narender Sindhu, in line of duty for the Nation. Their courage and dedication will forever inspire us. Indian Army expresses deepest condolences and stands in solidarity with the bereaved families. Operation continues,” said the Army in a post on X.
According to the police and the Army, the encounter started on Monday morning after an anti- terrorist operation was launched at the Guddar forest area following specific information about the presence of terrorists in the area. In the initial gun battle, one terrorist, a local recruit, was killed in an orchard area. As the encounter spread to the forest area, the army said a JCO was injured. Subsequently, the army confirmed the killing of another terrorist and the injury of one more soldier.
The second terrorist killed in the encounter is believed to be a foreign terrorist. So far, the identities of both the killed terrorists have not been established officially. This is the second major encounter in Kulgam in the last 5 weeks. Last month, an encounter continued for 11 days without much success against terrorists in the area. Two army soldiers were killed and 10 others were injured in the Akhal forest area of Kulgam district.
(Manas Dasgupta)