Kulgam Encounter: Day 9: 2 Army personnel killed, 2 injured

Srinagar Aug 9: In one of the longest-running anti-terror operations in recent times, two Army soldiers were killed and two others injured during an intense overnight encounter with terrorists in the Akhal forest area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

The fierce gunfight, now in its ninth day, underscores the challenges security forces face in taking down a group of heavily armed and well-trained terrorists hiding in dense alpine terrain.

The fallen soldiers, identified as Lance Naik Pritpal Singh and Sepoy Harminder Singh, were killed in the line of duty during a close-quarter confrontation.

Their loss has been deeply mourned, with the Indian Army paying tribute through a post by Chinar Corps.

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi paid tributes to the killed Army personnel.

“#GeneralUpendraDwivedi, #COAS and All Ranks of Indian Army salute the supreme sacrifice of Lance Naik Pritpal Singh and Sepoy Harminder Singh, who laid down their life in the line of duty in #Kashmir. #IndianArmy offers deepest condolences and stands in solidarity with the bereaved families in this hour of grief,” ADGPI Indian Army said in a post on X.

Paying tributes, Chinar Corps - Indian Army in a post on X said, “Chinar Corps honours the supreme sacrifice of the Bravehearts, L/Nk Pritpal Singh and Sep Harminder Singh, in line of duty for the Nation. Their courage and dedication will forever inspire us. #IndianArmy expresses deepest condolences.”

The Army said the operation in the Akhal jungles continued for the ninth day.

The past 24 hours saw fresh reinforcements heading to the encounter site where a group of terrorists are believed to be trapped in a cordon of the security forces.

Drones and helicopters were also pressed into service to spot the locations of the terrorists and kill them.

One terrorist, believed to be of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), was killed on August 1 when a joint party of the Army and the Police engaged terrorists in a fierce gunfight at Devsar’s Akhal area in Kulgam district.

The encounter site is deep in the forest.

The wet weather in the past 24 hours slowed down the movement of security forces to zero in on the hiding terrorists.

On August 7, security forces had to shift civilians near the encounter to safer locations.

The Kulgam operation is one of the few prolonged operations reported from Kashmir in recent years.

According to official sources, the number of personnel injured in the ongoing operation has now reached 10.

Hundreds of security forces, including the Army, Police, CRPF, and elite para-commandos, have been mobilised for the extensive counter-insurgency drive, which was launched last Friday following credible intelligence inputs about a large terrorist presence in the Akhal region.

The terrorists, reportedly a mix of local and foreign ultras, are believed to be entrenched in thick forests, using the mountainous terrain to their advantage.

At least three of the five terrorists initially detected are suspected to be foreign nationals with advanced jungle warfare training.

Despite the overwhelming force deployed by Indian security agencies, progress has been cautious due to the treacherous terrain and the threat of ambushes.

Officials said the use of advanced surveillance technology, including drones and thermal imaging, along with attack helicopters and precision air-dropped munitions, has helped in locating and targeting suspected hideouts.

Drones have been observed dropping explosives on specific targets amid heavy exchanges of gunfire and intermittent explosions.

The forces are conducting careful ground sweeps as helicopters hover above, providing aerial support and reconnaissance.

Top Army and Police commanders have been regularly visiting the operational zone to oversee the mission and adapt tactics to the evolving situation.

Senior Police officials at the site acknowledged the complexity of the operation.

They said it was taking time because of the difficult terrain and forest area.

“But we will track them down,” they said.

The encounter has drawn comparisons to some of the most prolonged and intense operations conducted in J&K over the last decade.

The ongoing Kulgam operation comes on the heels of a successful encounter in the upper reaches of Srinagar, where three Pakistani terrorists linked to the April 22 Pahalgam attack were killed in a precision offensive.

Addressing the Parliament, Union Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed that the terrorists were Pakistani nationals involved in the Pahalgam attack, adding that the government remains committed to eliminating terrorism from Indian soil.

Army’s Northern Command also paid tributes to the killed Army personnel.

“Lt Gen Pratik Sharma,  #ArmyCdrNC and all ranks of #NorthernCommand pay homage to the #Bravehearts  L/Nk Pritpal Singh and Sep Harminder Singh, who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.#Northern Command stands firm with the bereaved family in this hour of grief @adgpi@ChinarcorpsIA,” Northern Command - Indian Army said in a post on x.

Senior Police and Army officers, including the Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Nalin Prabhat, and the Army's Northern Commander Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, are closely monitoring the operation round-the-clock, officials said.