Militancy grips J&K again; captain among 4 army men killed

Jammu, NT Bureau: Four Army personnel, including a captain, were killed in a fierce gunfight with heavily armed terrorists of Pakistan-based banned outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in Doda district, the third major incident in Jammu region in three weeks.

The attack on Monday night, which came a week after terrorists ambushed an Army patrol vehicle in Kathua district killing five soldiers and injuring as many, has sparked widespread condemnation and protests in Jammu and other regions.

Captain Brijesh Thapa from Darjeeling, Naik Dokkari Rajesh from Andhra Pradesh, and Sepoys Bijendra and Ajay Kumar Singh from Rajasthan suffered fatal injuries in the gunfight in the Desa forest area, where troops from the Rashtriya Rifles and Jammu and Kashmir Police had launched a cordon-and-search operation.

Following the encounter, security forces, including Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police, swiftly launched an extensive operation in the Desa forest belt to flush out militants.

The opposition parties, meanwhile, attacked the Centre, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi saying such horrific incidents one after the other are extremely worrying and the Army soldiers and their families are bearing the brunt of "BJP's wrong policies".

The Kashmir Tigers, a JeM shadow group, has claimed responsibility for the latest attack. Despite the challenging terrain and weather conditions, efforts are underway to track down and neutralise the militants who have links with the banned JeM terror group, officials said.

In an official statement, the Army said the gunfight erupted late Monday evening in the Desa forest area, where troops from the Rashtriya Rifles and Jammu and Kashmir Police had launched a cordon-and-search operation. Despite challenging terrain and low visibility, the security forces engaged the hiding terrorists.

"In the initial volley of fire, four Army personnel were injured, who later succumbed to their injuries. Additional troops and equipment have been inducted to flush out the terrorists and the use of drones and other technical resources is being ensured," the Army said, withholding further details due to security considerations regarding the ongoing operations.

The Jammu region, once relatively peaceful, has witnessed a surge in terrorist activities since 2021. Over 70 people, including 52 security personnel, mostly from the Army, have lost their lives in these attacks.

Political parties including two main regional parties -- the National Conference and the PDP -- condemned the Doda incident. The PDP chief, Mehbooba Mufti, demanded the sacking of J-K Director General of Police (DGP) R R Swain.

CHRONOLOGY OF BLOODBATH since Jan 1, 2024

12 security personnel, including an Army captain, and 10 civilians have died since January 1 in terror attacks in Jammu region, which has seen a surge in violence, particularly in border districts.

Five ultras were killed and 55 people were injured in the period. July 15: Four army personnel killed in a gunfight in Doda district.

July 8: Five soldiers killed and as many injured in Kathua district.

July 7: An army personnel injured at a security post in Rajouri district.

June 26: Three foreign militants killed in a gunfight in Doda district.

June 12: A policeman injured in Doda district.

June 11/12: Two foreign ultras and a CRPF jawan killed in a gunfight in Kathua district.

June 9: Nine pilgrims killed and 42 injured in a militant attack on a bus in Reasi district.

May 4: One IAF personnel killed and five injured in Poonch district.

April 28: A village defence guard killed in an encounter with militants in Udhampur district.

April 22: A government employee shot dead by ultras in Rajouri district