In an encounter with militants in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar on Friday, two Army personnel, including a junior commissioned officer (JCO), were killed and two others injured.
Officials said that the gunfight broke out when a joint team of the Army and police launched a cordon-and-search operation in the Naidgham area in the Chhatroo belt which connects Kishtwar with south Kashmir's Anantnag. They said that the operation was launched on the basis of a tip-off.
The exchange of fire took place between the security forces and the militants hiding in the Pingnal Dugadda forest area in the upper reaches of Naidgham village.
While four army personnel were injured in the gunfight, two of them -- JCO Naib Subedar Vipan Kumar and Sepoy Arvind Singh -- succumbed to their injuries later. Officials said that one of the soldiers due to splinter injuries caused by a grenade explosion and another due to a bullet injury in the head.
Confirming the killing of the two soldiers, the Army said, "GOC (General Officer Commanding) White Knight Corps and all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of the bravehearts; offer deepest condolences to the families."
The heavy exchange of fire between the search team and the militants had taken place around 3:30 pm. "In the ensuing firefight four army personnel have been injured. The operation is in progress," the White Knight Corps had said in an update on X.
The injured soldiers were airlifted to an Army hospital following initial treatment at a local hospital, officials said.
The encounter comes just two days after the Army successfully neutralised two Pakistani militants affiliated with the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit in the higher reaches of Udhampur's Basantgarh district.
Grieving over the killing of the two soldiers, Congress' J&K unit expressed condolences and prayed for a speedy recovery of the injured.
Sharma added that the government must take urgent measures to check terror attacks, instead of making "hollow claims" of normalcy.
Notably, the encounter also came a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's poll campaign trail in the Union Territory. PM Modi is set to address a mega rally in the Doda district on Saturday amid tightened security arrangements.
To ensure a peaceful and smooth conduct of the election rally, multi-tier security has been deployed across the twin districts of Doda and Kishtwar.
Jammu and Kashmir is set to go to polls in three phases, September 18, 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 8.
