An encounter broke out between militants and security forces on Thursday morning near Basantgarh in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district, as joint teams of the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police continued a search operation that had been underway following fresh intelligence inputs.
The gunfight came just two days after a deadly militant attack in Pahalgam, south Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 25 tourists and a local pony wallah. The Indian Express reported that contact was established during the operation, leading to a fierce exchange of fire.
One soldier, Havildar Jhantu Ali Shaikh of the elite 6 PARA Special Forces, sustained injuries in the initial exchange and later succumbed despite medical efforts.
“Based on specific intelligence, a joint operation with Jammu and Kashmir Police was launched today in Basantgarh, Udhampur. Contact was established and a fierce firefight ensued. One of our bravehearts sustained grievous injuries in the initial exchange and later succumbed despite best medical efforts,” the Army said in a statement.
The Udhampur encounter followed another operation in the Uri sector of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Wednesday. In that incident, troops foiled an infiltration bid, killing two militants in a gunfight after spotting a group trying to cross into the Valley through a stream. The Army said the infiltrators opened fire when challenged, prompting a retaliatory response.
The heightened counter-insurgency operations come in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, which has triggered widespread Union and security concerns. In response, the central government has called for an all-party meeting at 6 pm on Tuesday, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Leaders of various political parties are expected to be briefed on the investigation’s progress, with the government assessing that the Pahalgam attack may have received support from across the border in Pakistan.
