Two Indian Army soldiers, including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), laid down their lives in a fierce gunbattle with terrorists in the Guddar forest area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Monday. One more soldier was injured in the operation.
Security forces had launched a joint operation early in the morning after receiving intelligence inputs about terrorist presence in the area. The search soon turned into an encounter when terrorists opened fire.
Bravehearts Identified
The Army identified the fallen soldiers as Subedar Perbhat Gaur and Lance Naik Narender Sindhu, both elite paratroopers.
“Chinar Corps honours the supreme sacrifice of the Bravehearts, Sub Perbhat Gaur and L/Nk Narender Sindhu, in line of duty for the Nation. Their courage and dedication will forever inspire us. The Indian Army expresses deepest condolences and stands in solidarity with the bereaved families. Operation continues,” the Army posted on X.
Encounter Details
- In the initial exchange of fire, one terrorist — a local recruit — was killed in an orchard area.
- The encounter later spread to the nearby forest, where the JCO sustained critical injuries.
- Security forces subsequently neutralised a second terrorist, believed to be a foreign national, though official identification of both slain terrorists is still awaited.
Second Major Clash in 5 Weeks
This is the second major encounter in Kulgam in just over a month. In August, an 11-day-long operation in the Akhal forest saw heavy fighting, during which two soldiers were killed and 10 others injured.
Security forces have intensified counter-terror operations in South Kashmir amid increasing infiltration attempts and militant activity in forested zones.
