Jammu: Five soldiers were killed and an officer injured after militants triggered an explosive during an ongoing encounter in Kesari area of Kandi hamlet in Rajouri district on Friday, officials said.
They told GNS that two soldiers were killed on the spot and four others including an officer were injured in the explosion. The injured were shifted to hospital where three of them succumbed to wounds, taking the toll to five.
They have been identified as L/Nk Ruchin Singh Rawat of Uttrakhand, Paratrooper Siddhant Chettri
Of Darjeeling, (WB), NK Arvind Kumar of Palampur Kangra (H.P), Hav Neelam Singh of Jourian, Akhnoor
Jammu and Paratrooper Pramod Negi of Shillai Sirmaur (H.P).
Earlier army in a statement said that Indian Army columns have been conducting relentless intelligence based operations to flush out a group of militants involved in ambush on an army truck in Tota Gali area of Bhata Dhurian in Jammu region”, army said in a statement.
“On specific information about presence of (militants) in the Kandi Forest in Rajauri Sector, a joint operation was launched on 03 May 2023. At about 0730 hours on 05 May 2023, a search team established contact with a group of terrorists well entrenched in a cave. The area is thickly vegetated with rocky and steep cliffs.”
The militants, army said, triggered an explosive device in retaliation. The Army team suffered two fatal casualties and injuries to four more soldiers including an officer.
“Additional teams from the vicinity have been directed to the site of encounter. The injured personnel have been evacuated to Command Hospital, Udhampur.” Three among them succumbed to wounds later.
As per initial reports a group of militants are trapped in the area. “There is a likelihood of casualties in militant group”, it reads.
The operation is in progress and further details are being ascertained, it had added.