Srinagar:

Two soldiers were injured in a fierce gunbattle with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district today, sources said.

The police said the encounter began in Anantnag district’s Ahlan Gadole this afternoon.

The two soldiers were injured after terrorists targeted their patrol while they were carrying out an anti-terror operation in the forest in the Kokernag subdivision. 

The army’s special forces are part of the operation to flush out terrorists who are believed to be foreigners.

Today’s gunbattle is the second major encounter in Kokernag in the last one year. In September 2023, a Commanding Officer, a Major, and a Deputy Superintendent of Police were among the personnel killed during a gunbattle with terrorists in Kokernag forest.

Reinforcement has been rushed to the area to flush out terrorists, believed to be entrenched in Ahlan Gadole forests.

Anantnag:

In a heart-wrenching tale of love and loss, seven-year-old Kabir remains unaware of the harsh reality that his father will never return and the young boy relentlessly sends voice messages to Colonel Manpreet Singh’s number pleading with him to come back.

“Papa bus ek baar aa jao, phir mission pe chale jana (Papa, please come back once, and then you can resume your duties).” Some of these heartfelt messages are whispered in secrecy to avoid his mother’s watchful gaze, as Kabir implores his father to make a video call.

Colonel Singh’s final act of valour came during a joint operation on September 13 last year, when he along with other soldiers engaged in a fierce gun battle with terrorists in the forests surrounding Gadool village. Despite their courage, Colonel Singh, Major Aashish Dhonchak, J-K Police Deputy Superintendent Humanyun Bhat and Sepoy Pardeep Singh made the ultimate sacrifice, leaving a void in the hearts of those who knew and admired them.

A revered commanding officer of the 19 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) unit, Colonel Singh is remembered as a hero in the worst terrorism-hit areas of Larkipora, Zaldoora and Kokernag in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

Many locals remember him as a symbol of bravery, leadership and selfless sacrifice in these areas that are mainly the Area of Responsibility, or AOR in army parlance, of the 19 RR. His legacy lives on in the hearts of people.

The absence of Colonel Singh weighs heavy on his family members, particularly his wife Jagmeet, who vividly recalls the time when he planted two Chinar trees and affectionately named them after their children — Kabir and Vani.

“He had said that we will return after 10 years to see these trees again. But now…,” said Jagmeet, her trailing off voice encapsulating the uncertainty and sorrow that has befallen the family.

Jagmeet shared with PTI over phone from Mohali in Punjab how deeply passionate Colonel Singh was about improving the lives of people in Kashmir and also spoke about the difficulties in making her own children understand that he won’t return.

“Often Mann (Colonel Manpreet) would get calls in the dead of night and he would promptly ensure that help was provided to them,” she said, adding that the help could be to resolve a personal dispute or for hospitalisation, it could be for anything.

She said her husband was invited by locals for marriages, to celebrate the birth of a child and Eid. “It was like one big family,” Jagmeet said.

Remembering her last conversation with him, which lasted 32 seconds, Jagmeet said, “Operation mein hoon (I am in operation) were his last words before I did not hear from him ever.” Colonel Singh’s dedication to the community extended beyond his military duties.

He was instrumental in rehabilitation efforts, particularly in helping those addicted to drugs find a path to recovery. Colonel Singh’s impact on empowering women and fostering a sense of community through sports and education is fondly remembered by those who knew him.

Rubbiya Sayeed, a well-known women cricketer from Anantnag, recalled Colonel Singh’s impact on the community. “He believed that sports played an important role in building a society…There were many drug addicts whom he sent for rehabilitation,” she said.

Sayeed said Colonel Singh’s focus on empowering women to be self-reliant and economically independent showcased his commitment to building a better society through sports and education.

“He actually was a healing touch to the people and the 19 RR headquarters had become the most people-friendly place where the focus was on building the youth and reasoning out with them about their better future,” she said in a choked voice.

Local residents spoke of Colonel Singh’s kindness and support, highlighting his gentlemanly demeanour and positive influence on the youth.

“I have never seen a gentleman officer like him. He used to treat me like his brother,” Rayees said and recalled how his son would play with Kabir. “Probably, he was one of our last resort whenever we were in some problem,” he said.

The Gurdwara at Zaldoora stands testament to his generosity. The 19 RR, that mainly draws its personnel from the SIKH LI, provided a generator to ensure no power cut and uninterrupted recitation of the ‘Gurubani’. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Srinagar:

Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Uzair Khan was among the two terrorists killed in a gunfight in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district that ended after seven days, Additional Director General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said on Tuesday. Four security personnel, including two army officers and a police officer, lost their lives in the gunfight, which Mr Kumar said is over.

“Till now, LeT commander Uzair Khan’s body has been recovered. The dead body of another terrorist is visible, but it has not been possible to retrieve it yet,” the ADGP told reporters in Anantnag.

He said the gunfight, which began in the Gadole forest area of the south Kashmir district on Wednesday last week, is over, but the search operation will continue.

“There is a huge area that remains to be searched. There can be a lot of unexploded shells which will be recovered and destroyed. We appeal to the people not to go to the area,” he added.

The ADGP said security forces had reports that two to three terrorists were there. “There is a possibility that the third dead body may be somewhere. It will be known after the search is complete,” Mr Kumar said.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Security forces have now reached close to the hideout of terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag where they had targetted their bombs and shells to drive them out, sources said. An operation against terrorists is going on since late Tuesday night deep inside the dense forests of Gadol area of Kokernag in Anantnag. 

The encounter has entered its sixth day, with thousands of troops including para commandos locked in an endless gunfight with terrorists.

Three officers, including two from the Army and a policeman, have been killed in action in an attempt to neutralise the terrorists.

Profile of terrorists

The heavily armed terrorists, believed to be two-three in number, are hiding in a tactically favourable location in the dense and steep forest. 

They are believed to be affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba as one of them is one of them is Uzair Khan, who joined Lashkar last year and is well aware of the area.

Cautious approach

It has been raining intermittently at the encounter site since Saturday, which is causing a lot of difficulty in the operation. Especially on these hills of Pir Panjal, there are dense forests, caves, and ditches, due to which the visibility reduces considerably and makes the operation riskier. 

Army sources said that there is no firing from terrorists, but until that area is completely sanitised, army personnel cannot go there. It’s possible that the terrorist may be alive and hiding to fire secretly. They may even have planted an improvised explosive device (IED) in the hideout and set it to explode when the soldiers reach there. This is why the army is moving very slowly, sources said.

Army dogs and equipment to detect explosives are also being used to clear the area. 

Security forces suspect that the hide out may have dead bodies of the terrorists. Even if they aren’t dead, it would be very difficult to escape as the army has cordoned off the entire area. 

Action so far

The troops have fired hundreds of mortar shells and rockets, targeted suspected terrorist hideouts with hi-tech equipment, and dropped explosives using advanced drones.

The Army has even released a picture of the drone being used in the operation.

OP GAROL#LtGenUpendraDwivedi#ArmyCdr, Northern Command reviewed the operational situation on the ongoing operations at #Kokernag forest area in #Anantnag. He was briefed by the ground commanders on the High Intensity Operations in which Hi-tech Equipment is being used for… pic.twitter.com/MggzlYb2Lh

— NORTHERN COMMAND – INDIAN ARMY (@NorthernComd_IA) September 16, 2023

The joint operation by Army and police began Tuesday night based on intelligence input, followed by an attempt to approach the terrorist hideout next day. The terrorists who appear to have anticipated the action opened fire on the forces, caught between the dense forests and hill on one side and a deep ditch on the other.

Leading from the front, two Army officers – Colonel Manpreet Singh and Major Ashish Dhonchak, and Deputy Superintendent of Police Himayun Bhat – were killed in action. Two more soldiers were injured while another is believed to be missing.

Srinagar:

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday said the death of Army and Police officers killed in recent encounter in Anantnag will be avenged and terrorists will be given a befitting response.

“It is an unfortunate incident. Our jawans, be it police or the Army, put their lives at risk to protect our borders. That is how we are able to celebrate our festivals and move on with our lives. Every citizen of the country condemns this incident and so do I. PM Narendra Modi will account for every drop of blood and the terrorists will be given a befitting reply,” Shinde told reporters after attending a function here.

Colonel Manpreet Singh, Commanding Officer, 19 Rashtriya Rifles, Major Ashish Dhonchak, Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police Humayun Bhat and a soldier were killed by the terrorists on Wednesday.

The LG, in his address to the gathering, said every drop of the martyrs’ blood will be avenged and the terrorist handlers will have to pay a heavy price.

“We have complete faith in the bravery of our soldiers and I want to assure that every drop of blood will be avenged with interest. The handlers of terrorists will have to pay a heavy price. The entire nation stands in solidarity with the jawans,” Sinha said.

He said the attack on security forces in Anantnag was a result of frustration in the terrorist ranks due to the successful conduct of the G20 Summit and crackdown on conflict profiteers in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Successful conduct of the G20 Summit and reining in of conflict profiteers has frustrated the terrorists who at the behest of Pakistan attacked the Army and police officers recently. Our jawans made the supreme sacrifice to protect the unity and integrity of the country. I bow before their sacrifice,” he said.

Sinha said the time had come to end terrorism and the ecosystem that has suppressed the common man in Jammu and Kashmir.

“If we do not do it now, maybe the future generations will regret it. We have been successful to a large extent but for complete success, it is necessary that the youth and citizens of Jammu and Kashmir stand in solidarity with this campaign,” he added.

NGO Sarhad Pune organised a function to felicitate 73 persons who had served the people during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Amarnath Yatra to mark the 73rd birthday of PM Modi.

“On the occasion of PM Modi’s birthday, Sarhad Pune is felicitating those who have put their lives at risk to save the lives of people during COVID-19 and Amarnath Yatra. This has also opened a new chapter in the friendship between Maharashtra and Jammu and Kashmir,” Shinde said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Well-trained terrorists, the challenging terrain, dense forests and now inclement weather have all played a role in the encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag stretching into the fourth day on Saturday. 

Three officers, Colonel Manpreet Singh and Major Aashish Dhonchak of the 19 Rashtriya Rifles and Deputy Superintendent Himayun Bhat of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, have been killed in action, a soldier is missing and at least two more personnel have been injured. 

The terrorists are hiding in a cave atop a hill in the Gadul forests of Kokernag, which affords them protection as well as complete visibility of the actions of the joint Army and police team that has surrounded them. The narrow path leading to the cave, which offers no cover and has a sheer drop on one side, is what had cost the three personnel their lives as the team began their first offensive in the early hours of Wednesday. 

Drones, rocket launchers and mortar shells have all been used, but the forces have not been able to achieve domination of the area yet. Officials say they are confident of neutralising the terrorists at the earliest. 

What has the establishment worried, however, is that this is one of three encounters in Jammu and Kashmir in five days and comes amid an uptick in terrorist activity in the Pir Panjal region, which covers the Poonch and Rajouri districts. Former Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police SP Vaid said the Anantnag encounter points to yet another change in strategy by terrorists and their backers in Pakistan.

Tough Terrain

Highly placed sources have told NDTV that the forces first got intelligence about terrorists hiding in the Gadul forests on Tuesday night and, on learning that they were atop a hill, a decision to attack was taken in the early hours of Wednesday. 

 “The path the forces have to take to get to the top of the hill is quite challenging. It is very narrow and there are mountains and a dense forest on one side and a deep ditch on the other. The personnel began the ascent in the night, and the darkness made it worse,” said a source. 

Seeing the forces ascend, the terrorists began firing at the personnel, who found themselves cornered. This is when the three officers were injured, but the limited options for extraction meant that they could not be taken to hospital until morning. 

Well-Stocked, Well-Trained

According to the sources, the terrorists have adequate stocks of arms, ammunition and even food, which is evidenced by the fact that they have managed to hold out for nearly 90 hours. They said the number of terrorists is also likely to be more than the two-three that is being mentioned in most reports. 

A recent Lashkar-e-Taiba recruit, Uzair Khan, is among the terrorists holed up in the cave. He is believed to know the area very well and the terrorists are benefiting from this. 

“Ordinary terrorists cannot stretch an encounter for so long. They are very well-trained and have good weapons. It is also possible that an informer may have double-crossed the forces or someone may have leaked their movements,” said a source. 

Rain, And A Fire

Bursts of heavy rain since Saturday morning have made the operation more difficult both by reducing visibility and by making it harder for drones to operate. A fire also broke out near the cave where the terrorists are hiding. 

‘Changing Strategy’

Two terrorists were gunned down in a two-day encounter in Rajouri district’s Narla area, which began on Tuesday, and three were killed in the Uri sector of Baramulla when they were attempting to cross into India from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The Army said Pakistani forces gave covering fire to help the terrorists cross the Line of Control and the gunfire from the other side also “interfered” with their efforts to retrieve the body of the third terrorist. 

The Baramulla encounter makes it the forces’ third brush with terrorists in just five days. 

On the encounter in Anantnag, former Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police SP Vaid told NDTV, “The operation in Anantnag is taking place in a hilly area and there is a 75-80 degree steep climb. There is a dense forest on one side and a ditch on the other. It is very difficult for our forces when the terrorists hide in such a place. The terrorists are at a height and the personnel become vulnerable to attack when they try to ascend.”

“This seems to be a new strategy. A similar thing was also seen in Rajouri-Poonch recently, where the terrorists chose a hilly and forested area to hide in. For some time now, I have been noticing  that the terrorists have been changing their strategy on the instructions of the Pakistani establishment,” he said.

Mr Vaid pointed out that when the Indian security forces began Operation All Out in 2017, thousands of terrorists were killed and they also began facing a shortage of AK-47s. He said there was a change in policy then and the terrorists started using pistols and small arms to target migrants, labourers and panchayat members in Kashmir in a bid to derail development. A spate of such incidents was seen last year. 

Seeking international attention?

“When the forces managed to control that, a new trend is visible now, which was seen in Rajouri-Poonch and now in nearby Anantnag. Unlike in the past, terrorists are avoiding inhabited areas, where they can be easily surrounded, and are now hiding in thick jungles and hilly areas. This helps them draw out the forces and harm them, and the terrain gives them a chance to escape,” the former top cop said. 

“They are trying to drag out encounters for three to four days so that they can get the international media’s attention as well. I think there has been a change in the strategy and we will have to be prepared for it,” he added. 

Srinagar:

An encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists near the Line of Control (LoC) in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, police said.

“#Encounter has started between #terrorists and Army & Baramulla Police in forward area of #Uri, Hathlanga in #Baramulla district,” the Kashmir Zone Police said in a post on X.

Further details shall follow, police said.

This comes at a time when an operation is underway in Anantnag district to neutralise terrorists who have taken positions in the forest area in hilly terrain. The gunfight entered its third day on Friday. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Srinagar:

The encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district has entered its fourth day with terrorists holed up in a cave on the top of a hill. The security personnel are caught between forests and a hill on one side and a deep ditch on the other, sources have said.

The gunfight began during a joint operation of the Army and the police Tuesday night to hunt down the terrorists hiding in the Gadul forest of Kokernag. A soldier went missing and three officers killed in action when they tried to approach the Lashkar terrorists’ hideout atop a hill.

The Inside Story

The terrorists – who are well versed with the local terrain — are holed up in a cave on the top of a hill that can be accessed only by a narrow route with a deep ditch on one side, highly placed sources have told NDTV. It was this route that the officers had used to approach the cave on Wednesday, but came under firing with nowhere to take cover.

The standoff continues since with the forces having surrounded the hill. They are using rocket launders and dropping explosives using Heron drones bought from Israel, but the challenging terrain didn’t allow Army domination yet, said sources.

The terrorists, who are well-trained with no shortage of food and ammunition, are likely to be more than the two-three that was being cited, according to the sources.

The Bravehearts

Three officers, including two from the Army and a policeman, were killed in action on Wednesday.

Colonel Manpreet Singh, Sena Medal (Gallantry), was the Commanding Officer of the 19 Rashtriya Rifles Unit (19 RR) and Major Aashish Dhonchak, Sena Medal (Gallantry), was the company commander of 19 RR. Himanyun Muzamil Bhat was a Deputy Superintendent (DySP) in the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

Colonel Singh’s body reached his Punjab hometown yesterday with a huge crowd attending his funeral to pay their last respects to the hero.

New Delhi:

Caught between forests and a hill on one side and a deep ditch on the other, the security forces personnel locked in a seemingly endless encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district are battling terrorists who have no shortage of arms, ammunition or food, and also have the lay of the land.

The personnel are also facing an uphill battle, literally, as the terrorists are holed up in a cave on top of the hill, and the only route to it is a narrow one with a sheer drop on one side, highly placed sources in the security forces have told NDTV. It was this path and the visibility afforded by the cave that cost the forces the lives of Colonel Manpreet Singh, Major Aashish Dhonchak and Deputy Superintendent of Police Himayun Bhat. 

The Beginning 

The sources said that the forces first got intelligence about terrorists hiding in the Gadul forests of Kokernag on Tuesday night. A search operation was launched, but the terrorists could not be found. The joint team of Army and police personnel then received information that the terrorists were on top of a hill.

Attack Starts

In the early hours of Wednesday, the forces decided to attack the terrorists. “The path the forces have to take to get to the top of the hill is quite challenging. It is very narrow and there are mountains and a dense forest on one side and deep ditch on the other. The personnel began the ascent in the night, and the pitch darkness made it worse,” said a source. 

As the forces neared the cave, the terrorists got a clear view of them and began firing indiscriminately.  Caught on the narrow path, with no cover and the very real danger of falling, the personnel had nowhere to go, and no way to retaliate. 

Colonel Singh, who was the commanding officer of the 19 Rashtriya Rifles, company commander Major Dhonchak – who were both recipients of the prestigious Sena Medal (gallantry) – and Deputy SP Bhat were injured in the firing.

The hail of bullets and the challenging path made their extraction – both by other personnel and a helicopter – impossible and they could be taken to a hospital only in the morning, the sources said. 

Standoff

It’s been nearly 72 hours since the encounter began and the forces have the hill surrounded. Explosives are being dropped using the Heron drones purchased from Israel, rocket launchers are being used and the personnel are firing, but the Army has still not been able to achieve domination of the area because of its challenging geography, the sources said. 

‘No Ordinary Terrorists’

According to the sources, the number of terrorists is likely to be more than the two-three that are being cited.  Among them is Uzair Khan, who joined Lashkar-e-Taiba last year. They said he has complete information about the area, which the terrorists are benefiting from. 

“Ordinary terrorists cannot stretch an encounter for so long. They are very well trained and have good weapons. It is also possible that an informer may have double-crossed the forces or someone may have leaked their movements of the security forces. Whatever it is, ending this operation has become a big challenge,” said a source. 

‘Ambush Hypothesis’

One soldier is still missing and at least two personnel have been injured. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Additional Director General of Police (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar advised retired police and Army officers to avoid going with the “ambush hypothesis”.

#KokernagEncounterUpdate: Rtd Police/Army officers should avoid “ Ambush Hypothesis”. It is a specific input based ops. Ops is in progress and all 2-3 trapped terrorists will be neutralised: ADGP Kashmir

— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) September 15, 2023

“Retired police/Army officers should avoid ‘ambush hypothesis’. It is a specific input-based ops. Ops is in progress and all 2-3 trapped terrorists will be neutralised,” he said.

A soldier has gone missing while two others were injured in an encounter with terrorists that is underway for over 48 hours in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
The fierce encounter broke out early Wednesday morning after the army and the police launched a joint operation to hunt down terrorists in the dense forests of Kokernag.

Three officers, including two from the Army and a policeman, were killed in action on that day. There is no update on the casualty figure on the side of the terrorists.

The Joint-Operation

The Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police launched their joint search operation on the night of September 12-13. They laid a cordon in search of some terrorists in Garol village, officials said.

An extensive search led to the conclusion that the terrorists were in a hideout in the higher reaches in the dense forest.

Colonel Manpreet Singh, who led the search column, along with Major Aashish Dhonchak moved through the entrants and rugged terrain of the forests. Around noon, they came under heavy firing from the terrorists and retaliated.

Colonel Singh, Major Dhonchak and DSP Himanyun Bhat suffered gunshot wounds and later died due to the injuries.

The Bravehearts

Colonel Manpreet Singh, Sena Medal (Gallantry), was the Commanding Officer of the 19 Rashtriya Rifles Unit (19 RR) and Major Aashish Dhonchak, Sena Medal (Gallantry), was the company commander of 19 RR. Himanyun Muzamil Bhat was a Deputy Superintendent (DySP) in the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday paid tribute to the army officers in Srinagar.

The army said a specialized operation was conducted in the treacherous terrain of Kokernag to retrieve the bodies of the officers. Their bodies will be transported through a special aircraft to their hometowns.