Pak intruder, soldier killed in Machil: Army

Srinagar, July 27: A Pakistani intruder and a soldier were killed while four others including an officer were injured during an encounter along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kumkadi area of Machil sector in north Kashmir's Kupwara district on Saturday.

A Srinagar-based defence spokesman said that a group of two to three armed personnel crossed the LoC and fired at a forward post of the Army from proximity while taking advantage of bad weather and poor visibility along the LoC in the Machil sector.

“Alert troops responded vigorously and in the ensuing exchange of fire, one Pakistani intruder was killed,” he said. “The Army recovered weapons, ammunition, and war-like stores.”

The defence spokesman said that the identification and affiliation of the Pakistani national is being ascertained.

“During this intense fire exchange, two of our soldiers also suffered some grave injuries and were hence immediately evacuated to the Base Hospital at Srinagar. Unfortunately, one of them succumbed to his injuries. The other one is responding well to treatment and care and is presently stable,” he said.

The defence spokesman said that in the past too, similar attempts by infiltrators, actively aided and abetted by the Pakistani Army had exploited thick foliage and poor visibility conditions but had always, as today, been successfully thwarted and disrupted.

“Indian Army is firm in its resolve and commitment to maintain the sanctity of the LoC and defeat the nefarious and inimical designs of the Pakistan Army,” he said.

In the morning, Chinar Corps posted on X that the firing occurred in the Kamkadi area of Machil sector in north Kashmir district.

"Firing in Machil sector. There has been an exchange of fire with unidentified personnel on a forward post in Kamkadi, Machil sector on the LoC. One Pakistani person has been killed while two of our soldiers suffered injuries and have been evacuated. Operations are in progress,” Chinar Corps-Indian Army posted on X.

Army sources said the attack seems to have been aided by Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT), which was involved in multiple such operations before the ceasefire understating between India and Pakistan in February 2021.

The attack comes a day after Kargil Vijay Diwas when Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a stern warning to Pakistan and said that the Army would defeat every terror challenge.

Earlier this week, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi visited the same area of the LoC and reviewed the preparedness of the forces to deal with infiltration and terrorist attacks.

Army paid tributes to the soldier who was killed in the BAT attack that was foiled along the LoC in Kupwara.

Army's Chinar Corps, in a post on X, identified the killed soldier as Rifleman Mohit Rathour.

“All ranks of the Chinar Corps salute the supreme sacrifice of braveheart Rifleman Mohit Rathour who laid down his life in the line of duty, today in the Kupwara sector on the LoC. Chinar Warriors salute his immense valour and sacrifice, express the deepest condolence, and stand in solidarity with the bereaved family,” the post read.

The injured soldiers were evacuated to the nearest medical facility.

The incident comes three days after a terrorist and a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) of the Indian Army were killed in an overnight encounter in Kupwara.

The incidents in north Kashmir come amid a surge in terror attacks and gunfights in border areas of Jammu.

In one such gunfight that started on July 15, four Army personnel including a Captain were killed in action at Doda.

Meanwhile, Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai and Director General of Police (DGP) Rashmi Ranjan Swain paid tributes to Rifleman Mohit Rathour.

“ChinarCorps Commander, Director General of Police J&K, other senior civil dignitaries and all ranks of Chinar Corps paid homage to Rifleman Mohit Rathour, who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty in Machil sector on Saturday. Chinar Warriors salute the valour and sacrifice of the braveheart and stand in solidarity with the bereaved family Kashmir @adgpi @NorthernComd_IA,” Chinar Corps Indian Army said in a post on X.