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.

Panipat:

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday met with the family of Major Aashish Dhonchak who lost his life in Anantnag encounter and announced Rs 50 lakh in compensation.

The body of Major Aashish Dhonchak, who lost his life in the ongoing encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag, were brought to his residence in Panipat on Friday.

After meeting with the family, Manohar Lal Khattar said, “Major Aashish Dhonchak was a promising young man. He reached the rank of Major in 11 years of his service. He was the only brother of three sisters, so it is a very difficult situation. The government will give Rs 50 lakh in compensation and his wife will also be given a job by the government. To keep his name immortal, the government will do whatever it can.”

Major Aashish Dhonchak, who fell to enemy fire during the encounter in the Kokernag area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Wednesday, was a father to a two-and-half-year-old daughter.

A pall of gloom descended on his native village as the news of his death reached the locals on Wednesday evening.

Along with Major Dhonchak, Colonel Manpreet Singh, who was commanding the Quick Response Team (QRT) of the Rashtriya Rifles, and Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir police, Humayun Bhat, also laid down their lives in the encounter that broke out on Wednesday, officials said.

The last rites of DSP Bhat were performed in Budgam on Wednesday evening.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, expressed grief over the death of the officers in the encounter while also paying tributes to the DSP Bhat at Budgam on Wednesday.

“Paid tributes to JKP’s DySP Humayun Bhat, who laid down his life in an anti-terror operation in Anantnag. I salute the indomitable courage and supreme sacrifice of Col Manpreet Singh & Major Ashish Dhonack. Entire nation stands firmly with their families in this hour of grief,” LG’s office said in a post on the social media platform, X.

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

Srinagar/New Delhi:

“No Sir” was the prompt reply of Colonel Manpreet Singh when he was offered a peace posting upon his promotion in 2021. Instead, he volunteered to stay and command the 19 Rashtriya Rifles, a battalion credited with major kills of terrorists including Hizbul Mujahideen poster boy Burhan Wani.

Col Singh, who is survived by his wife, a six-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter, was a combat veteran and was awarded Sena Medal during his tenure as second-in-command of the 19 Rashtriya Rifles, a battalion tasked with ensuring security in South Anantnag, Kokernag and Verinag Achabal including its higher reaches, which have been highly infested with terrorists especially foreign mercenaries in the past.

Col Singh who was in his early 40s, along with Major Aashish Dhonchak, Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police Humayun Bhat and one soldier, was killed in an encounter with terrorists on Wednesday in the higher reaches of Kokernag. One soldier is still missing.

Major Dhonchak, 34, who had a close brush with death only a month ago, is remembered as an enthusiastic officer who used to go into the nitty gritty of every operation.

After his promotion in 2021 as a Colonel, Singh was given a choice to opt for peace area posting.

“No Sir, I would like to be posted in my 19 RR (Rashtriya Rifles) and be with my own men,” was his prompt response, politely rejecting the offer that had been made to him.

Col Singh always wanted to lead from the front and the reason generally given by him was “I have to ensure that every one under my command is safe.” A sports enthusiast, Col Singh always believed in uplift of youth and engaged them in sports activities.

‘Chinar Cricket tournament’ for women and volleyball events were quite frequent in otherwise restive areas of Larkipora, where the formation’s headquarters was located.

Many sports lovers in the area said they could not believe that Col Singh was no more.

Many of them said the officer was always available for youths and had encouraged them to build a comprehensive society.

“He believed that sports played an important role in building a society…There were many drug addicts whom he sent for rehabilitation,” said woman cricketer Rubbiya Sayeed.

On August 10, Major Dhonchak and his team were participating in a cordon and search operation in the Athlan Gadole area of Kokernag when terrorists threw a grenade injuring three people including a soldier.

“This time he ran out of luck…,” recalls one of the officers known to the fallen soldier.

Major Dhonchak was awarded with Sena Medal only last month on the eve of Independence Day.

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