Paratrooper, critically injured in gunfight with terrorists in J&K, dies
What's the story
A paratrooper, who was critically injured in a gunfight with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Sunday, has succumbed to his injuries. The operation was launched on Sunday in Sonnar village near Mandral-Singhpora in the Chatroo belt. The gunfight left eight soldiers injured due to splinter injuries from a grenade attack by hiding terrorists.
Operation details
Operation TRASHI-I resumes after temporary suspension
The operation was temporarily suspended late Sunday night due to challenging terrain but resumed early Monday morning. The area is dense with vegetation and steep slopes, making visibility and movement difficult. Havildar Gajendra Singh of the Special Forces succumbed to his injuries during treatment at a military hospital during the intervening night of January 18 and 19, officials said.
Tribute
Army pays tribute to fallen paratrooper
The Army paid tribute to Havildar, acknowledging his supreme sacrifice during the operation. "We honor his indomitable courage, valor and selfless devotion to duty and stand firmly with the bereaved family in this hour of profound grief," they said. Multiple teams from the army, police, and paramilitary forces are involved in combing operations with drones and sniffer dogs.
Operation TRASHI-I
'Operation TRASHI-I' launched in Jammu region
The army believes two to three terrorists linked with Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) are trapped in the area. The operation, named "Operation TRASHI-I," was launched by the Jammu-based White Knight Corps. This is the third encounter between security forces and terrorists in the Jammu region this year, following earlier incidents in Kahog and Najote forests on January 7 and 13 respectively.
Security measures
Security operations intensified ahead of Republic Day
The encounters come after a major counter-terrorist operation in December last year to flush out terrorists from forest belts. Operations have been intensified ahead of Republic Day amid intelligence inputs about attempts by Pakistan-based handlers to push more terrorists into the region. Officials said close coordination with civil administration and security agencies continues as part of these efforts.