Army Commander lauds Chinar Corps for swift, precise operation at Awantipora
Srinagar, May 16: Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, commended the troops of the Chinar Corps for their “swift action and precise execution” during the Awantipora operation.
“Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, Army Commander #NorthernCommand, compliments #ChinarCorps for their swift action and precise execution in the joint operation that neutralised three terrorists in #Awantipora.The #IndianArmy stands by its commitment to keeping #JammuKashmirterrorfree.#NationFirst@adgpi@OfficeOfLGJandK@ChinarcorpsIA,” Northern Command- Indian Army said in a post on X.
The encounter began on Thursday, May 14 when specific intelligence inputs indicated the presence of a terrorist group in a cluster of houses in a village on the outskirts of Awantipora. The intelligence was reportedly gathered through sustained surveillance and corroborated by local informants.
Acting on the inputs, a joint team of the Indian Army’s Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the CRPF swiftly moved in and laid a cordon around the suspected location. The operation, security officials said, was planned with an emphasis on precision and civilian safety, as the terrorists were believed to be hiding in a densely populated area.
“As soon as the cordon was tightened, the terrorists opened fire, attempting to escape under the cover of darkness,” said a senior police officer involved in the operation. “Our forces responded with calculated retaliation. After a brief but intense exchange, all three terrorists were neutralized.”
Police have said that the slain terrorists were affiliated with Pakistan-backed terror outfit JeM .The bodies of the slain terrorists were recovered along with a cache of weapons, including AK-series rifles, grenades, and communication equipment.
The security forces ensured that civilians in the vicinity were safely evacuated before the gunfight escalated. “Our top priority is always the safety of the people. Every step in the operation was planned to avoid collateral damage,” said an officer of the Chinar Corps. The Awantipora encounter is part of a series of intensified operations in south Kashmir. Lt Gen Sharma’s praise for the Chinar Corps comes amid a series of successful counter-terror strikes in recent days, including operations in Shopian and Tral, which together have led to the killing of at least six terrorists in 48 hours.
