In a tragic turn of events, an Army officer was killed in action, and three other soldiers sustained injuries during a high-stakes gunfight with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar region. Naib Subedar Rakesh Kumar, a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), made the ultimate sacrifice during a joint anti-terror operation launched in Kishtwar’s Bhart Ridge on Saturday. The Army’s 16 Corps took to social media platform X to honor the bravery of Naib Subedar Kumar, expressing their condolences and resolve to bring justice to those responsible.
The intense anti-terror operation follows the brutal killings of two Village Defence Guards (VDGs) earlier this week. Around 11 a.m., the latest encounter erupted as joint search parties of the Army and local police forces intercepted terrorists hiding in the dense forests a few kilometers from where the bullet-riddled bodies of Nazir Ahmad and Kuldeep Kumar, both VDGs, were recently discovered.
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In a chilling development that has shaken the region, these attacks are part of a growing pattern of violence. Just this past Thursday, a massive manhunt was launched in the dense forests of Kuntwara and Keshwan after terrorists allegedly kidnapped and executed the two VDGs in cold blood. Security forces remain on high alert, combing through these forested areas and other hotspots to prevent further terrorist activity.