Army captain killed in encounter while searching for 4 terrorists in J&K

Army captain killed in encounter while searching for 4 terrorists in J&K

An Army officer, Captain Deepak Singh, lost his life in a terrorist encounter in the Assar area of Doda district in Jammu and Kashmir. One civilian sustained an injury in the crossfire. The Army extended its deepest condolences to the bereaved family of Captain Singh.

The incident occurred deep inside the dense forest during a cordon-and-search operation (CASO) conducted by a joint security team in search of terrorists on the basis of intelligence input about their location in the Shivgarh-Assar belt. One terrorist was injured in the exchange, and an effort is underway to nab the rest.

The operation was launched the previous night after the Army received an input on terrorists hiding in that place. There had been a little exchange of fire that night, but the operation was once again resumed early in the morning when the terrorists managed to kill Captain Singh.

The strike has come only some days before Independence Day and when the country is already on high alert regarding the security situation. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has chaired a high-level meeting to review the security scenario, attended by top officials of the Army, such as General Upendra Dwivedi, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

The death was mourned by Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, expressing deep sorrow over the loss of Captain Singh. She said that it has been a routine now; administration assures people that things will be peaceful now onwards, they start killing innocents and then repeat assurances. She conveyed her heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.

There has been an increase in terrorist activities in the Jammu region, more specifically in the southern parts of the Pir Panjal range. In any such area with thick forests and rough terrain, terrorists find the area ideal for their nefarious designs. This factor coupled with the longstanding problem of militancy is a source of considerable concern.

The government had, earlier this month, put in place a new security plan to contain the mounting attacks on civilians and army personnel in Jammu and Kashmir. Two soldiers were killed and two civilians injured during an attack on an Army patrol in Anantnag district.

Last month, one soldier was killed and another injured in an encounter in Kupwara district. In that incident which took place just after Kargil Vijay Diwas, the Army had said a "Pakistani intruder" had been eliminated. On that day, PM Modi had reiterated the Army's resolve to finish terrorism.

The Prime Minister also convened a meeting to review the security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir, which is being taken very seriously in the government. In these meetings, it has been decided that stress should now be on preventing cross-border infiltration, enhancing intelligence collection, and improving the tactical efficiency of the armed forces.

All Ranks of #WhiteKnightCorps salute the supreme #sacrifice of #Braveheart Capt Deepak Singh who succumbed to his injuries.#WhiteKnightCorps offers deepest condolences and stands firm with the bereaved family in this hour of grief.@adgpi@NorthernComd_IA pic.twitter.com/kc6SIczb3S

— White Knight Corps (@Whiteknight_IA) August 14, 2024

No words will suffice to express the tragedy at Doda today where Captain Deepak Singh was killed during an encounter. The endless cycle of violence & mayhem in J&K continues to devour the lives of innocents despite tall claims of normalcy by the administration. My deepest… pic.twitter.com/6FDk8UMR7A

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 14, 2024

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