Indian Army Engages in Fierce Encounters Along the Line of Control

Indian Army troops initiated gunfire on Thursday after detecting suspicious movement near the Line of Control in the Sunderbani area of Rajouri district, according to Army officials. Further details are still awaited.

Earlier, during an encounter with terrorists in the Kastigarh area of Doda district, two Indian Army soldiers sustained injuries. They received initial treatment at the government hospital in Doda before being airlifted to the Army hospital via chopper.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Ramban-Doda Range, Shridhar Patil, arrived at the encounter site in Doda. “A search operation is underway. I can't share much information as our operation is still in progress and we hope to be successful soon,” DIG Patil informed reporters.

The incident follows the tragic loss of four army soldiers, including an officer, during a firefight with terrorists in Doda earlier this week. On July 15, based on specific intelligence inputs, a joint operation by the Indian Army and JK Police targeted an area north of Doda. Contact with terrorists was made around 9 pm, leading to a heavy firefight in which Captain Brijesh Thapa, Naik D Rajesh, Sepoy Bijendra, and Sepoy Ajay were killed in action.

On July 16, Lt Gen MV Suchindra Kumar, Northern Army Commander, paid homage to the fallen soldiers, laying a wreath in their honor. The recent spike in terror attacks in the Jammu region includes an assault on an army convoy in Kathua and several encounters in Doda and Udhampur.

(With inputs from agencies.)