Jammu: An Army captain and a terrorist were killed in an ongoing operation in the higher reaches of Jammu region’s Doda district on Wednesday, officials said.
A civilian was also injured in the encounter that broke out on the eve of Independence Day and is the latest in a series of incidents in the Jammu region that has witnessed a spike in violence of late.
This is the fourth encounter in recent days in the Udhampuri-Doda-Kishtwar region of Jammu and Kashmir.
Bullets rang out on Wednesday morning in a thickly-forested area during a cordon-and-search operation (CASO) launched by a joint team of security personnel to track down a “group of foreign terrorists hiding in the Shivgarh-Assar belt”, the officials said.
Captain Deepak Singh was critically injured during the operations and shifted to a military hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, they added.
“One terrorist has been neutralised in the ongoing operation. One AK 47 has been recovered. Intermittent exchange of firing continues as the operations are ongoing,” the Army said in a post on X.
Police also confirmed the killing of a terrorist.
Four blood-soaked rucksacks were seized from the site of the encounter, leading officials to initially believe that a total of four terrorists were killed. M-4 carbines were also found, the officials said. However, the death of only one terrorist has been confirmed.
Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Anand Jain reached the Assar area along with top officers to supervise the operation.
Ahead of his visit to Doda, the ADGP told reporters in Jammu around 2 pm that the operation was still underway. “The operation is going on. Efforts are on,” he said.
The Army expressed its deepest condolence on the officer’s death and said the force stands with the bereaved family.
“All ranks of the White Knight Corps salute the supreme sacrifice of braveheart Captain Deepak Singh,” it said.
“The terrorists crossed into Doda from a forest area near Patnitop in adjacent Udhampur district after a brief exchange of fire between security forces and the ultras there on Tuesday evening,” officials said.
They said the security forces established contact with the terrorists in Udhampur around 6 pm on Tuesday. An encounter broke out about half-an-hour later and continued intermittently until both sides paused. A cordon was established overnight.
The search was resumed at dawn.
At about 7:30 am on Wednesday, there was a renewed exchange of fire in Doda where the terrorists had fled to, the officials said.
Two encounters between security forces and terrorists were reported on Sunday in the remote forest areas of Nownatta in Kishtwar district and Basantgarh in Udhampur district.
Following these encounters, the terrorists had fled to the Doda hills.
On June 26, three terrorists, suspected to be affiliated with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), were killed in a gunfight in Doda’s Gandoh area.
Political parties condemn killing of Army officer
Political parties on Wednesday condemned the killing of a young Army officer in an encounter with terrorists in Doda district, saying it is unfortunate that the situation in some parts of Jammu has been allowed to deteriorate.
They said the “endless cycle of violence and mayhem” continues to devour the lives of innocent people in the Union Territory, despite “tall claims of normalcy” by the administration.
“Another young Army officer lays down his life in the line of duty, this time in an encounter in Doda. It is highly unfortunate that the situation in some parts of Jammu region has been allowed to deteriorate like this.
“May Captain Deepak Singh’s soul rest in peace. I send my heartfelt condolences to his family and colleagues,” National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah said in a post on X.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said words are not sufficient to describe the tragedy in Doda.
“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,” she said.
Mufti’s daughter and media advisor Iltija Mufti said it is heart-breaking to see a young man’s promising career cut short.
“Captain Deepak Singh martyred in an encounter at Doda today isn’t just another grim statistic but a tragic indictment of how much the situation has deteriorated in J&K. Yet heads won’t roll and Godi media will continue to gloss over GOI’s monumental failure,” she said in a post on X.
People’s Conference chief Sajad Gani Lone expressed hope that “this unending vicious cycle of violence” ends and the perpetrators are brought to justice. “May Captain Deepak Singh rest in peace,” he said.
