An Army officer, Captain Deepak Singh, was killed in action during an encounter with a group of four terrorists in the Assar area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district on Wednesday. A civilian was also injured during the incident. The encounter took place during a cordon-and-search operation, or CASO, launched by a joint security team to track down the terrorists hiding in the Shivgarh-Assar belt.
The security forces managed to recover a United States-made M4 assault rifle and three blood-soaked rucksacks, containing equipment and logistics, from the encounter site. The Army has offered its deepest condolences to Captain Singh’s family.
Sources said the Army had been tipped off to the terrorists’ hideout last evening, after which they engaged the enemy. There was a brief exchange of fire that night and the operation resumed this morning.
This latest terror attack in the Jammu region comes a day before Independence Day celebrations and as Defense Minister Rajnath Singh chairs a meeting to review the security situation. Former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has expressed sorrow over Captain Singh’s death.
“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 and mayhem in J&K continues to devour the lives of innocents despite tall claims of normalcy by the administration. My deepest condolences to his family,” she said.
There has been a spurt in terror activities in the Jammu region, particularly in the southern reaches of the Pir Panjal range, which contains many thick forests and steep mountains that provide cover for terrorists, in recent months, raising fears about the revival of militancy in the region.