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In the last 24 hours, an Army junior commissioned officer (JCO) and three terrorists lost their lives in two distinct incidents in Jammu and Kashmir, underscoring a resurgence of militant activity in the Union Territory (UT).
The confrontation took place in the Keri Bhattal region when troops detected heavily armed terrorists near a stream in a forested area. The infiltrators opened fire, leading to a violent exchange that left the JCO critically wounded; he later succumbed to his injuries. The officer has been identified as Subedar Kuldeep Chand from the 9 PUNJAB regiment. Additional forces have been dispatched, and a search operation is currently in progress.
This incident represents yet another significant violation of the ceasefire, occurring just two days after brigade commander-level discussions aimed at reducing border tensions in the Poonch district, following the reaffirmation of the 2021 agreement between India and Pakistan regarding the Line of Control.
In related developments, anti-terror operations are ongoing in Jammu and Kashmir, with three terrorists neutralized in Kishtwar district. The White Knight Corps reported that a joint “search and destroy” operation with Jammu and Kashmir Police commenced on April 9 in the Chhatru forest, resulting in the death of one terrorist during an initial firefight.
Despite challenging weather conditions, two additional Pakistani terrorists were killed in the ongoing operations at Chhatru, along with the recovery of a substantial cache of weapons, including an AK and an M4 rifle.
Earlier this year, a similar incident on February 11 led to the deaths of two Army personnel, including a captain, due to an IED explosion in the same vicinity.
The Indian Army has officially lodged protests regarding these incidents.
