Killed bravehearts include 3 from Special Forces
*2 foreign terrorists injured, surrounded in hills
* Ultras appear at late religious leader’s house, beat up Gujjar
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 22: Four Army soldiers including two Captains and a JCO were martyred while two foreign terrorists were injured in day-long gun battle at village Bajimaal under the jurisdiction of Dharamshal police station, about 10 kilometres from Kalakote in Rajouri district as security personnel intensified operations to nab the militants hiding in the upper reaches.
Of four casualties of the Army, three belonged to Special Forces (para commandos) who were rushed to the site of encounter after the terrorists were trapped in the upper reaches and engaged in gun fighting by the troops of Rashtriya Rifles, Rajouri Police and paramilitary personnel.
-Excelsior/Imran
Two foreign terrorists, likely to be Pakistanis, were moving in Kalakote during last five to six days. Their appearance was first observed in the house of a late religious personality in Kalakote asking for food. Immediately thereafter, a massive joint search operation was launched to trap them. Yesterday, they beat up a Gujjar Sarfaraz Ahmed son of Mushtaq Ahmed at Bajimaal on being denied food. Sarfaraz narrated entire incident to security forces after which a massive operation was planned at Bajimaal.
As Army, police and paramilitary forces were laying cordon in Bajimaal, the terrorists who had taken shelter at a hilltop opened firing which was replied by the security forces. However, as per the officials, the terrorists had taken positions on a hill anticipating search operation on the information of Sarfaraz Ahmed.
In the gun fighting, four Army personnel including two Captains, JCO and a soldier were martyred while two others including a Major were injured.
“Both foreign terrorists have been injured in the encounter and efforts are on to eliminate them,” the officials said.
Among the bravehearts who sacrificed their lives in the encounter were two Captains, JCO and a soldier. Three of them belonged to Special Forces including Captain, JCO and jawan while another Captain was from the Rashtriya Rifles.
Three martyrs have been identified as Captain MV Pranjal, Captain Shubham and Havaldar Majid.
Among the two injured were Major Mehra, also from the Special Forces and a soldier. Injured have been airlifted to the Command Hospital Udhampur where condition of the Major was stated to be stable.
Bodies of the bravehearts will be sent to their native towns tomorrow with full military honours after wreath laying ceremony.
As per the officials, more troops have been rushed to the site of encounter to maintain cordon during the night and resume searches with onset of dawn tomorrow.
Meanwhile, in a post on X, the White Knight Corps of the Army said that based on specific intelligence, joint operations were launched in Kalakote area of Gulabgarh forest in Rajouri on Sunday.
“Contact established on 22 Nov and intense firefight ensued. The terrorists have been injured and surrounded and operations are in progress, amidst acts of valour and sacrifice by own bravehearts in trying to prevent collateral damage to women and children in the highest traditions of Indian Army. #Whiteknightcorps salutes the supreme sacrifice,” it said.
Officials said the operation has been intensified with induction of additional troops.
This is the third major incident in which troops have suffered major casualties in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, this year. Five soldiers each were killed at Mendhar and Kandi forests in Poonch and Rajouri on April 20 and May 5 respectively. Those killed at Kandi were para commandos.
In turn, security forces have eliminated large number of terrorists in the two districts this year, both on LoC as well as general areas.
Local residents said that a cordon-and-search operation has been going on in the area since Sunday to track down terrorists operating in the area.
“Due to the operation we were asked to stay back at home and not venture out. Our children stayed back at home and did not attend the school,” a villager said.
The firing is going on in the forest area close to the village, he said.
Officials said the two terrorists trapped at the encounter site in Bajimaal appeared to be foreign nationals and had been moving around in the area since Sunday. They even took shelter at a place of worship, they said.
The latest encounter in Rajouri comes close on the heels of another gunfight in Behrote in Budhal area on November 17, in which one terrorist was killed. He too had come down to collect food when he was trapped and eliminated by the security personnel.
Rajouri and Poonch districts have witnessed a number of encounters this year, both on the Line of Control as well as hinterland. There were reports indicating presence of terrorists in upper reaches of the two districts.
Major terror incidents in Rajouri, Poonch
* January 1, 2023: Seven civilians of minority community, two of them minors, were killed in firing and IED blast triggered by two foreign militants at village Dhangri in Rajouri district.
*May 5, 2023: Five Army para commandos attained martyrdom and Major injured in an IED blast triggered by the militants at Kandi, Rajouri.
*April 20, 2023: Five Army bravehearts sacrificed their lives and another was injured in an ambush laid by the militants at Bhatta Durrian in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch district.
* July 18, 2023: Four dreaded Pakistani terrorists were eliminated by security forces at Sindhara Top in Surankote tehsil of Poonch district.
* August 11, 2022: Five Army jawans were killed and two fidayeens were eliminated during attack on an Army camp at Pargal in Darhal area of Rajouri district.
*December 18, 2022: Two civilians were killed in a militant attack outside Alpha Gate in Rajouri.
* Mar-Apr 2022: Four blasts rocked Koteranka tehsil in Rajouri district within a span of 28 days targeting police, labourers, marriage house etc but causing very little damage. However, all these blasts were later worked out by the police.
*October 11, 2021: Five Army soldiers including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) lost their lives in an encounter with militants at Chamrer forests in Surankote tehsil of Poonch district. Militants escaped.
* October 16, 2021: Four more soldiers including another JCO lost their lives in gun battle with same group of militants at Bhatta Durrian in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch. Army searched militants in Pir Panjal forests for about a fortnight but they remained untraced.
*October 30, 2021: Two Army jawans including a Lieutenant became victims to a mine blast in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district.
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