A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Army's special forces was killed and three other officers were injured during a gunfight with militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Sunday.
Another joint operation between police and security forces was underway in the Zabarwan forest area on the outskirts of Srinagar city, after intelligence suggested the presence of militants. The encounter began around 9 am in the forest area connecting Dachigam and the upper reaches of Nishat.
This comes just a day after a reportedly foreign terrorist was killed in an encounter in the Rajpora area of north Kashmir's Baramulla district.
This recent surge in encounters indicates a resurgence of militancy in Srinagar, which was previously considered a zero-militancy zone.
Amid escalated terror activities, especially after the formation of the National Conference government on October 16, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha recently directed the security forces to go searching for militants and ensure that no terror activities are carried out to breach the peaceful atmosphere prevailing in the Valley.
Kishtwar Encounter
The Army identified the deceased officer as Naib Subedar Rakesh Kumar of 2 Para and saluted his supreme sacrifice.
The encounter reportedly broke out around 11 am when joint search parties of the Army and police intercepted the militants in the Keshwan forest, a few kilometres from the spot where the bullet-riddled bodies of VDGs Nazir Ahmad and Kuldeep Kumar were found.
A massive search operation was launched in the forests of Kuntwara and Keshwan on Thursday evening after the militants abducted and killed the VDGs.
The Army's Jammu-based White Knight Corps said in a post on X, "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."
The officials said four Army personnel, including the JCO, were injured in the initial gunfight and evacuated to a hospital, where 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 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 told PTI that an encounter was underway with the militants responsible for the killing of the two VDGs. "Three or four terrorists are believed to be trapped in the area," the official said.
The officials said a massive search operation was going on till the last reports were received.
Gunfight In Zabarwan Forests
In the first such incident in the past two decades, militants exchanged fire with security forces in the dense forests of the Zabarwan range here on Sunday, forcing residents to flee in panic as additional forces were mobilised to strengthen the cordon.
The encounter in Zabarwan lasted several hours before the guns fell silent but the militants managed to flee taking advantage of the thick foliage. However, the search for the fleeing militants was continuing when the last reports were received, the officials said.
Eyewitnesses told PTI that the forest area resonated with gunshots shortly after a contingent of Army, police and CRPF personnel appeared there and launched a search operation around 9 am.
The forested area has a cluster of over a dozen houses and many residents fled the locality due to panic.
"I heard a few gunshots in the morning but I did not know it was happening in the neighbourhood. I have been living here for the past two decades and never witnessed such an incident," Abdul Khaliq, a local resident told PTI.
"I, along with my wife, immediately left our house and ran for safety. There are at least two dozen houses in this forest area," he added.
Soon after the exchange of fire began, additional reinforcements from the Special Operations Group (SOG) of police and the CRPF rushed to the area and placed it under a tight cordon.
The security forces also restricted the movement of civilians in an attempt to prevent any loss of lives. Even media persons, who reached the spot to report the encounter, were kept at a safe distance.
Earlier, police in a post on X said, "A joint police and security forces operation was launched in Zabarwan forest area of Srinagar based on specific intelligence about the presence of terrorists. An exchange of fire ensued during the operation."
Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vidhi Kumar Birdi, told Greater Kashmir that eight militants have been eliminated in six operations this November alone.
These incidents are part of a series of encounters between militants and security forces across Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the killing of several militants and their commanders. Security forces have also suffered casualties.
