Security forces and terrorists exchanged fire twice briefly within a span of four hours in a forest area in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district, officials said today. This follows the death of four soldiers in the district in a Monday night terrorist attack.
Four Army personnel, including a captain, were killed in a fierce gunfight with heavily armed terrorists of the Pakistan-based banned outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in Doda district. This was the third major terror incident in Jammu region in three weeks. The Kashmir Tigers, a JeM shadow group, has claimed responsibility for the latest attack.
Captain Brijesh Thapa from Darjeeling; Naik Dokkari Rajesh from Andhra Pradesh; and Sepoys Bijendra and Ajay Kumar Singh from Rajasthan suffered fatal injuries in the gunfight in the Desa forest area, where troops from the Rashtriya Rifles and Jammu and Kashmir Police had launched a cordon-and-search operation.
Following the encounter, security forces, including Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police, swiftly launched an extensive operation in the Desa forest belt to flush out terrorists.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that he was “deeply saddened” by the loss of lives and asserted that the security forces were committed to eliminating the scourge of terrorism in the region.
Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi also briefed Singh on the anti-terrorist operation in Doda district.
In a statement, the Indian Army said that it had been conducting a series of joint and coordinated operations with Jammu and Kashmir Police to eliminate foreign terrorists who had infiltrated from across the border and were moving in the upper reaches of Udhampur, Doda, and Kishtwar districts in the Jammu region, and thereafter to Kashmir.
“All formations of the Northern Command are committed to eliminating the scourge of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir for which the relentless operations will continue,” said the Army.
Village Defence Guards open fire
In the hours following the Doda terrorist attack, Village Defence Guards (VDGs) also opened fire on observing suspicious movement outside the Melan village, while two explosive shells were recovered from Gandoh area.
The exchange of fire was first reported at Kalaan Bhata at 10.45pm on Tuesday night and then near Panchan Bhata at 2am this morning, during the ongoing anti-terrorist operation in the Desa forest area.
There are no reports of any casualties in the latest exchange of fire. Taking advantage of the darkness, difficult terrain and thick foliage, the terrorists managed to slip away, the officials said.
Despite the challenging terrain and weather conditions, efforts were under way to track down and neutralise the terrorists, the officials added.
The Army, along with para commandos and aerial support from drones and helicopters, is intensifying its search operation to eliminate the terrorists, who are hiding in the forest area.
Police along with Army had reached the Melan village and a thorough search of the area was launched this morning, they said. The explosive shells were recovered during a separate search operation in the Sinoo forest area of Gandoh in Doda district.
The Sinoo forest had witnessed a day-long encounter on June 26, resulting in the killing of three foreign terrorists and recovery of a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including a US-made M4 carbine.
India mourns brave soldiers
As the nation mourned the loss of these brave soldiers, tributes were paid to the soldiers in a solemn wreath-laying ceremony attended by dignitaries, including J-K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi.
In a post on X, Sinha said: “We will avenge the death of our soldiers & thwart the evil designs of terrorists and their associates. I call upon the people to unite in the fight against terrorism & provide us accurate information so that we can intensify anti-terror operations & neutralise the terror ecosystem.”
Doda martyr Captain Thapa’s father Colonel Bhuwanesh K Thapa (retd) recalled that his son was inspired by him and, since childhood, had wanted to join the Indian Army. “I feel proud of my son. This is an Army operation and there is always risk in such ops,” said the retired colonel.
In Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district, the native villages of soldiers Bijendra and Ajay Singh grieved the loss of the bravehearts.
There has been a resurgence of terrorist activities in Jammu in recent months, underscoring the persistent threat posed by extremist elements seeking to destabilise the peace in the region.
The Jammu region, once relatively peaceful, has witnessed a surge in terrorist activities since 2021. Over 70 people, including 52 security personnel, mostly from the Army, have lost their lives in these attacks.
The security forces remained vigilant in their efforts to safeguard the lives of civilians and to defend the sovereignty of the nation against such acts of violence, officials said.
