A soldier from the Indian Army was killed during a gunfight with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district on Thursday, the Army confirmed.

The gunfight started after security forces got specific intelligence about terrorists hiding in the Basantgarh area of Udhampur. A joint team of the Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police launched an operation to catch them.

"Based on specific intelligence, a joint operation with J&K Police was launched today in Basantgarh, Udhampur. Contact was established, and a fierce firefight ensued. One of our Bravehearts sustained grievous injuries in the initial exchange and later succumbed despite the best medical efforts. Operations remain ongoing," the Indian Army's White Knight Corps said in a post on X.

This attack comes just days after 26 tourists were killed in a brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran meadow, where terrorists suddenly came out of the pine forest and opened fire using AK-47 rifles.

Following that incident, Indian security agencies released the sketches of three suspected terrorists — Asif Fuji, Suleman Shah, and Abu Talha — believed to be behind the Pahalgam attack.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police has also announced a cash reward of ₹20 lakh for anyone who can provide useful information about the terrorists involved in the killings.

Just one day after the Pahalgam attack, Indian forces also foiled an infiltration bid in Baramulla, where two terrorists were killed in a gunfight.

“Heavy exchange of fire between security forces and terrorists; two terrorists have been eliminated; infiltration bid foiled by the security forces in the ongoing operation. A large quantity of weapons, ammunition and other war-like stores have been recovered from the terrorists,” said Chinar Corps, the Army unit responsible for operations in Kashmir.

 

You might also be interested in: Odisha CM announces ₹20 lakh, job, education to family of tourist killed in Pahalgam