In the third day of an ongoing counter-terrorist operation within the dense Kokernag forest of south Kashmir's Anantnag district, fresh gunfire and explosions were reported. This operation took a tragic turn when two army officers and a Jammu and Kashmir Police Deputy Superintendent (DSP) were martyred in an ambush by Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists early on Wednesday. Security forces, including army and police units, have intensified their efforts to locate and neutralize the two to three suspected terrorists since Friday morning.
Local residents have confirmed hearing blasts in the vicinity of the encounter area. A resident from Gadol, who chose to remain anonymous, mentioned that intermittent gunfire had been ongoing, with security forces maintaining a tight cordon around the forest throughout the night.
The fallen heroes include Colonel Manpreet Singh, commanding officer of the 19 Rashtriya Rifles, Major Aashish Dhonchak from the same battalion, and DSP Humayun Muzamil Bhat.
Authorities revealed on Thursday that the forces had encircled two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants, one of whom was Uzair Khan, the local commander. Khan, who had joined the militant ranks last year, possessed valuable knowledge of the forest's terrain and surrounding areas, making him a significant target for the security forces.
Jammu and Kashmir's Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh, pledged that those responsible for this criminal act would be swiftly brought to justice. The Falcon Squad of The Resistance Front (TRF) claimed responsibility for the attack on social media, linking it to avenging the recent killing of Mohammad Riyaz in Rawalkote, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
In honor of the martyrs, members of the civil society across the Kashmir Valley organized candlelight vigils on Thursday evening.
