A Captain of the Indian Army, along with three other soldiers, was martyred during a fierce gunfight with a group of suspected foreign terrorists in Jammu Dessa forest area, which shares its boundaries with Basantgarh in Udhampur, Anantnag, Keshwan in Kishtwar, and Pogal Paristan in Ramban district, late Monday night.
It is suspected the joint team of security forces was lured into the deep forest area where they were ambushed by the well-entrenched group of the foreign terrorists.
Kashmir Tigers, a proxy outfit of the Jaish-e-Mohammad, has claimed responsibility for the attack. The gruesome attack comes close on the heels of another deadly ambush on the soldiers near Badnota village of Machhedi in the Billawar tehsil of Kathua district on July 8 in which five soldiers were martyred and five others were injured.
The Indian Army, however, maintained that a joint operation with J&K Police was launched in the general area of Urarbaggi, 10 km North of Doda. At about 8.40 pm on Monday, the search party was able to establish contact with the terrorists hiding in the area, which is a thickly forested and mountainous area with restricted visibility due to low clouds and rain.
In the initial volley of fire, four Indian Army personnel were injured, who later succumbed to their injuries. Additional troops and equipment have been inducted to flush out the terrorists and the use of drones and other technical resources is being ensured.
The bravehearts have been identified as Captain Brijesh Thapa, son of Col (Retd) BK Thapa, Naik D Rajesh, Sepoy Bijendra & Sepoy Ajay.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, who apprised him of the ground situation and ongoing operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda on Tuesday. In a post on X Defence Minister said, "Deeply saddened by the loss of our brave and courageous Indian Army Soldiers in a counter-terrorist operation in Urrar Baggi, Doda (J&K). My heart goes out to the bereaved families. The nation stands firmly with the families of our soldiers who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. Singh said the Counter Terrorist operations are underway, and our soldiers remain committed to eliminating the scourge of terrorism and restoring peace and order in the region."
General Upendra Dwivedi, COAS and all ranks of the Indian Army also conveyed their deepest condolences to the bravehearts who laid down their lives in the line of duty, while undertaking a counter-terrorist operation in Doda.
This is the seventh major incident of terrorist violence in the Jammu region since the beginning of this year. According to a recent assessment of the various security agencies, around seven to eight groups of 3-4 foreign terrorists are active in the region and have taken shelter in the thickly forested belt inside natural cave-like structures to dodge the security forces.
So far 48 soldiers including elite para commandos and other ranks have been martyred in around one dozen operations since October 2021 in the Jammu region.
Since January 1, 2024, 12 soldiers including a village defence group member have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. 10 civilians and five terrorists were also killed in these operations.
The security forces were maintaining a tight vigil in the area in the aftermath of the killing of a village defence guard in the Basantgarh area of Udhampur on April 28.
The anti-terror operations in Doda were intensified after a fierce exchange of fire in Chattargalla pass left five Army personnel and a special police officer injured on June 12. A policeman was injured in another encounter in Gandoh the next day.
After the Kathua ambush, terrorists managed to escape after an encounter with security forces in the nearby Ghadi Bhagwah forest bordering Kishtwar district on July 9. Three foreign terrorists were killed in a day-long operation in the Gandoh area of the district on June 26.
The Jammu region witnessed a sudden spike in terror attacks soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the oath of office of Prime Minister on June 9. His oath-taking ceremony coincided with one of the brutal attacks on a pilgrim bus in the Reasi district in which nine persons were killed and 41 others were left injured.
In the wake of an upswing in the incidents of terrorist violence, the Indian Army has been conducting a series of joint and coordinated operations with J&K Police to eliminate foreign terrorists who have infiltrated and are moving in the upper reaches of Udhampur, Doda, Kishtwar and Bhaderwah districts / areas and thereafter to Kashmir Valley.
Similar operations are being relentlessly conducted in Kathua area. A series of operations in the recent past have resulted in neutralisation of three terrorists in Gandoh on 26 June 24, besides successfully thwarting Chattar Gali terrorist attack on 11 June 24.
Analysis of large quantities of warlike stores recovered from the dead terrorists reveal the hand of inimical agencies from across the border. A number of measures have been taken to enhance synergy between various agencies which includes joint training with J&K Police and Central paramilitary forces.
A robust intelligence-sharing mechanism between the Indian Army, J&K Police and other intelligence agencies has been established. Close interaction with the local populace is also ensured for flow of intelligence inputs.
Similar intelligence-based and area domination operations are continuing in Kashmir region, in the north of Pir Panjal ranges. Line of Control and fence is intact and alert troops have recently neutralised three terrorists attempting to infiltrate along with large quantities of war-like stores in Kupwara region on July14. Intelligence based operations have also been conducted to foil infiltration attempts in Lam, South of Pir Panjal Ranges on July 10.
