Just two days after the Indian Army successfully neutralised six militants in Kashmir, tragedy struck as four soldiers were killed and six others injured in a terrorist attack in Jammu’s Kathua district on Monday.
The incident occurred in Badnota village, where terrorists ambushed army vehicles patrolling the Machedi-Kindli-Malhar road at around 3:30 pm. The attackers first threw a grenade and then opened automatic fire on the patrol.
The injured soldiers were promptly transported to Sub District Hospital Billawar for advanced medical care. Officials have confirmed that two of the injured soldiers are in critical condition.
The terrorists managed to escape despite retaliation from the security forces. A massive Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) was launched in the area soon after the injured were evacuated. Reinforcements have been dispatched to strengthen the security forces and locate the attackers.
This attack marks the second major terror-related incident in Kathua within the past four weeks. Earlier, two terrorists and a CRPF jawan were killed in a gunfight during a search operation in the Hiranagar area between June 12 and June 14. Additionally, on June 9, terrorists fired upon a pilgrim bus in the Reasi district, targeting innocent pilgrims returning from the Shiv-Khori temple.
In a significant victory against terrorist organisations in Kashmir, the Indian Army reported a successful operation on June 6, where a joint effort by the Rashtriya Rifles and Jammu and Kashmir Police in Kulgam resulted in the killing of six terrorists. This operation dealt a major blow to terror outfits in the region, leaving them leaderless and disrupting their activities.
Addressing the media, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 2 Sector, Prithvi Raj Chauhan, highlighted the success of the operation, which was based on specific intelligence inputs. Despite the initial lack of suspicious activity, a credible tip-off led to the re-launch of the operation, resulting in the elimination of four terrorists from the Hizbul Mujahideen.
The slain militants were identified as Yawar Ahmad Dar, Zahid Ahmad Dar, Tauheed Ahmad Rather, and Shakeel Ahmad Wani, all involved in various terror activities in Kulgam and surrounding districts. The operation was conducted with utmost caution to minimise collateral damage, and all recovered materials have been taken for further investigation.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Kashmir Javid Iqbal confirmed that the operations were launched based on precise inputs, leading to the successful neutralisation of the terrorists.
(With inputs from IANS)
