JCO killed as Army foils infiltration bid on LoC in J&K

Jammu, April 12 (IANS) A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Indian Army was killed when alert soldiers foiled an infiltration bid on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's (J&K’s) Akhnoor sector, officials said on Saturday.

Officials said that late on Friday evening, terrorists tried to infiltrate into the Indian side of the LoC in Keri-Battal area of Akhnoor sector in Jammu district.

“Alert Army soldiers engaged the terrorists in exchange of gunfire and the infiltration bid was foiled.

“In the exchange of fire with the terrorists, one JCO was critically injured. He was shifted to hospital yesterday. He succumbed to critical injuries today”, officials said.

Kuldeep Chand was a soldier with the 9 Punjab regiment, the Army's Jammu-based White Knight Corps said in a post on X.

Paying tributes to the fallen soldier the Army posted on platform X, “#GOC#WhiteKnightCorps and all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of #Braveheart Sub Kuldeep Chand of 9 PUNJAB. He laid down his life while gallantly leading a #CounterInfiltration operation along the #LineofControl in the #Keri-#Battal area of #Sunderbani on the night of 11 April 2025. His team’s valour and Sub Kuldeep’s ultimate #sacrifice foiled an #infiltration attempt by #terrorists. We stand in solidarity with the bereaved family in this hour of grief.”

Earlier in another operation, three terrorists were killed by joint forces in the three-day-long operation in Chatroo forest area of Kishtwar district. A top commander of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit, Saifullah was among the slain terrorists.

“In the Kishtwar encounter, three terrorists including the JeM commander Saifullah were killed. A large quantity of war-like stores, including one AK and one M4 rifle, has been recovered”, officials said.

On Friday one terrorist was killed in this joint operation launched against the terrorists in Kishtwar district.

Officials said on Friday, that one ultra was neutralised in the joint operation by the Army and the security forces that was launched on April 9 in Chatroo area of Kishtwar district.

“The operation was based on specific Intelligence inputs, which led to a firefight with terrorists, resulting in one militant being neutralised.

“The search operation, conducted by the Army and police, aimed to flush out terrorists hiding in the dense forests continues”, officials said.

Meanwhile, another operation is going on in Joffar forest area in the jurisdiction of Ramnagar police station in Udhampur district.

CASO (Cordon and Search Operation) by the joint forces was started on April 9 and three terrorists are reportedly trapped inside the cordoned off area.

A civilian told security forces that three heavily armed terrorists dressed in black entered his house around 8.30 pm on April 9 and left around 11.30 pm.

Following the disclosure by the civilian, security forces tightened the cordon and after reinforcements were called in, the joint forces were closing in on the hiding terrorists, as per the last reports.

It must be mentioned that on March 3, a police team immediately reached Sanyal village in Hiranagar area of Kathua district, where five terrorists were spotted.

Since Sanyal village is barely 4 kms away from the International Border, the group of terrorists spotted in Sanyal village are believed to have recently infiltrated into the Indian side of the border.

The terrorists managed to escape from Sanyal to Safiyun Jakhole area.

The police team engaged the terrorists in a sustained gunfight killing two terrorists. Four policemen were martyred in that gunfight.

To trace the remaining three terrorists, joint forces started a ‘seek and destroy’ operation, which was extended to higher reaches of Kathua and Rajouri districts.

A brief exchange of gunfire took place between the terrorists and the joint forces in Billawar area of Kathua district.

--IANS

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