JCO Among 5 Army Personnel Killed in Gunfight with Terrorists in J&K's Poonch

Five Army personnel, including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), were killed in a fierce gunfight with terrorists during an anti-insurgency operation in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, officials said.

The operation was launched in a village close to DKG in Surankote in the early hours following intelligence inputs about presence of terrorists, a Defence spokesman said.

He said the ultras opened heavy fire on the search parties resulting in critical injuries to the JCO and four other ranks. All the five soldiers succumbed to their injuries.

The encounter with the terrorists was going on and further details are awaited, the spokesman said. The officials said there are reports about presence of a group of heavily-armed terrorists in Chamrer forest after they managed to sneak from across the Line of Control (LoC).

Reinforcements have been rushed to the area to plug all escape routes to ensure the terrorists are neutralised, they said.

The shootings were the deadliest attack on military forces in the area since a ceasefire between India and Pakistan along the effective border was announced in February.

The deceased have been identified as Naib Subedar Jaswinder Singh, Naik Mandeep Singh, Sepoy Saraj Singh, Sepoy Vaisakh. H, and Sepoy Gajjan Singh.

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has announced ex-gratia of Rs 50 lakhs and a government job for one member each from families of Naib Subedar Jaswinder Singh, Naik Mandeep Singh and Sepoy Gajjan Singh.

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath has also announced Rs 50 lakhs ex-gratia and a government job for one family member Saraj Singh.

Tensions have been stoked again in recent weeks with a spate of shootings of civilians in the area in attacks claimed by a militant group, including two teachers last week.

On August 10, the director general of police Dilbag Singh said that “after a brief lull following renewed truce deal between the two DGMOs (director general of military operations) on February 25, infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir resumed” and added that “terror camps across the border were still intact.”

In recent times there have been four encounters in Rajouri sector – Daddal in Nowshera, Sunderbani and Pangai in Thannamandi and Karyote.

Meanwhile, former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh tweeted that “with Pakistan-backed Taliban taking over Afganistan, terrorism is increasing in Kashmir”.