Jammu and Kashmir encounter: Army soldier killed during gunfight with terrorists in Kishtwar | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: A junior commissioned officer (JCO) was killed on Sunday while three more soldiers were injured during an ongoing counter-terror operation in a remote forest area in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
The deceased soldier was identified as Naib Subedar Rakesh Kumar of 2 Para (SF). He was part of the joint operation launched in the general area of ​​Bhart Ridge in Kishtwar on Saturday following the recent killing of two Village Defense Guards (VDGs). .

The encounter between security forces and terrorists broke out around 11 am after joint army and police teams located the militants in Keshwan forest, near where the bodies of VDGs Nazir Ahmad and Kuldeep Kumar were discovered with gunshot wounds.
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Following the abduction and killing of the VDGs by the terrorists, extensive search operations were launched in Kuntwara and Keshwan forests on Thursday evening.
The Army’s White Knight Corps in Jammu reported on This is the same group that kidnapped and killed 02. (two) innocent villagers (village defense guards). Contact ensued and a firefight ensued.

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Officials reported that four army personnel sustained injuries during the initial exchange of fire. They were taken to hospital, where three were reported to be in critical condition.
A police spokesman confirmed that ongoing combat operations were targeting the terrorists responsible for the VDG killings.
According to official sources, around three to four terrorists were surrounded in the area.
Reports indicated that there was still sporadic gunfire in the region at the time of the last update.
(With input from the agency)