Counter-insurgency operations stepped up to thwart infiltration

Two soldiers and four militants were killed in two gun battles along the Line of Control in Keran and Kupwara in north Kashmir on Sunday.

The Army said it stepped up counter-insurgency operations in Kashmir keeping in view the rising number of infiltration incidents.

“In the last 24 hours, two of our soldiers — Naik Neeraj Kumar Singh of 57 Rashtriya Rifles and Grenadier Rahul Kumar of 23 Grenadiers Battalion — were killed while fighting terrorists in northern Kashmir,” an Army spokesperson said.

The first encounter was in the Keran sector on Saturday night. The Army said soldiers intercepted a group of militants, resulting in exchange of fire. While the militants escaped unhurt, one soldier was killed.

“The militants took advantage of the darkness in the dense forest and escaped from the site of the encounter,” the spokesperson said.

The second gun battle started on Sunday morning in the Kalaroos area of Kupwara district.

“We had information that some infiltration had happened earlier this week. Our troops today came across five-eight terrorists in the forests in Kalaroos and an intense gunfight ensued. We killed four of the militants and one of our jawans was also killed in the operation and another wounded,” Lieutenant Colonel N.N. Joshi said.

The Army said it found the bodies of the militants and recovered four AK-47 rifles from the encounter site.

A hunt has been launched for the rest of the militants.

“We are carrying out a cordon and search operation for the remaining terrorists,” Lt. Colonel Joshi said. The Army said the militants belonged to the Lashkar-e-Taiba.