Army Jawan Killed in J&K Encounter; Arms Seized in Poonch
20 Sept 2025 2:41 PM IST20 Sept 2025 2:41 PM IST
Soldier dies in Kishtwar gunfight as forces recover grenades, AK-type rifle in separate Poonch operation
An Army jawan was killed in a Kishtwar encounter with militants, while security forces seized weapons and explosives in Poonch and continued anti-terror operations across J&K.
An Army jawan, Lance Dafadar Baldev Chand, was killed during an ongoing encounter with separatist militants in the upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir’s eastern Kishtwar-Doda region. Officials in Jammu said that the clash occurred near the Dudu Basantgarh area of Udhampur district, a region that has seen multiple attacks and encounters over the past year.
They said a joint team of security forces, including the Army, J&K Police’s counterinsurgency Special Operations Group (SOG) and CRPF, launched a search operation based on intelligence about militants in the hilly region.
As the team advanced, the militants opened fire, leading to a fierce gunfight. Lance Dafadar Chand sustained critical injuries and later died. Initial reports had indicated that two to three militants remain trapped in the area, with additional reinforcements deployed to maintain tight cordons and block escape routes.
Officials highlighted the soldier’s sacrifice as a testament to the challenges faced by security forces in counter-militancy operations in rugged terrain. Operations are ongoing, with forces intensifying efforts in Doda and nearby areas due to increased militant activity.
In a separate joint operation on Friday in Poonch district, Army troops and J&K Police recovered arms and explosives, including 20 grenades and an AK-type rifle, from the Mendhar nallah area.
The White Knight Corps posted on ‘X’, “Alert troops, in a joint search with police, recovered one AK-series weapon, four magazines, 20 hand grenades, and other war-like stores in Poonch.”
Meanwhile, the J&K Police’s Counter-Intelligence Wing (CIK) conducted searches at eight locations across Srinagar, Baramulla, Anantnag, Kupwara, Pulwama, and Shopian on Saturday as part of a terror-related investigation linked to case FIR number 3/2023. The searches were authorised by a competent court, officials said.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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