An Indian Army officer – Captain Deepak Singh – was killed during an encounter on Wednesday with a group of four terrorists in the Assar area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district.
The encounter led to a civilian being injured. A swift operation was launched to capture the terrorists, one of whom was reported wounded.
The encounter took place in the forested region as part of a cordon-and-search operation (CASO) initiated by a joint security team aiming to locate the terrorists believed to be hiding in the Shivgarh-Assar belt. Sources state that security forces managed to retrieve a US-made M4 assault rifle and three blood-soaked rucksacks containing equipment and logistics from the scene.
According to reports, the Army had been tipped off about the terrorists’ hideout late Tuesday evening, leading to an engagement with the enemy. A brief exchange of fire took place that night, with operations resuming early Wednesday morning.
This encounter comes just a day before India’s Independence Day celebrations and coincides with a high-level security meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, attended by senior officials including Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed her sorrow over Captain Singh’s death, stating, “No words will suffice to express the tragedy at Doda today, where Captain Deepak Singh was killed during an encounter. The endless cycle of violence and mayhem in J&K continues to devour the lives of innocents despite tall claims of normalcy by the administration. My deepest condolences to his family.”
Recent months have seen a surge in terror activities in the Jammu region, particularly in the southern parts of the Pir Panjal range, which are characterised by dense forests and steep mountains that provide cover for militants. This resurgence has raised concerns about the revival of militancy in an area that had previously seen a decline in terrorist activities.
Earlier this month, the government announced a new security framework for Jammu and Kashmir aimed at countering increased attacks on civilians and military personnel. This follows a recent encounter in Anantnag district that resulted in the deaths of two soldiers and injuries to two civilians during a routine anti-terror operation.
In a previous incident last month, one soldier was killed and another injured in Kupwara district during an encounter with a “Pakistani intruder.” This attack occurred shortly after Kargil Vijay Diwas when Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to defeating terrorism.
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