Encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam; one terrorist killed, army officer injured

The terrorists opened fire at the security personnel's positions, turning the search operation into an encounter.

Srinagar: An unidentified militant was killed while an Army junior commissioned officer (JCO) was injured in an encounter that broke out during a joint anti-terror operation in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Monday, officials said.

The gunfight erupted in the forest area of Gudar after security forces launched a search operation based on specific intelligence inputs about the terrorist movement. Personnel from the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the CRPF were involved in the operation.

“Vigilant troops observed suspicious activity and upon being challenged, terrorists opened fire, prompting a fierce exchange of gunfire during which one terrorist has been eliminated and a junior commissioned officer suffered injuries,” the Army’s Chinar Corps said in a post on X.

The injured officer was immediately evacuated and airlifted to the Army’s 92 Base Hospital in Srinagar, where he is undergoing treatment.

The identity of the slain militant is yet to be established, but security officials said he is believed to be a local. Police said the search operation is continuing in the area to ensure no other militants are hiding in the forest terrain.

The encounter comes at a time when security agencies have intensified counter-insurgency operations in south Kashmir following intelligence reports of fresh infiltration of foreign militants from across the Line of Control (LoC). Over the past few months, Kulgam and adjoining districts have witnessed multiple gunfights in which several terrorists have been killed.

Officials said militant recruitment among local youth has declined sharply over the last two years, forcing Pakistan-based handlers to push in more foreign fighters to keep the insurgency alive.