A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Indian Army’s Special Forces was killed in action while three other soldiers were injured during a gunbattle with terrorists in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, on Sunday. The fallen soldier has been identified as Naib Subedar Rakesh Kumar of the 2 Para (Special Forces) unit.
The Army’s White Knight Corps expressed deep condolences, paying tribute to the braveheart. In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), the Corps said, “GOC White Knight Corps and all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of braveheart, Nb Sub Rakesh Kumar. He was part of a joint counter-insurgency operation in the general area of Bhart Ridge, Kishtwar. We stand with his bereaved family in this hour of grief.”
The encounter took place earlier in the day when a joint search team comprising the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police intercepted a group of terrorists a few kilometers away from where the bodies of two village defence guards (VDGs) were discovered. The bodies of Nazir Ahmed and Kuldeep Kumar had been found earlier, both showing signs of brutal execution.
A massive search operation had been launched on Thursday evening after the terrorists abducted and killed the two VDGs, who were reportedly unarmed and in the area to graze cattle.
The Army’s White Knight Corps provided details of the operation on X, stating, “Based on specific intelligence inputs regarding the presence of terrorists, a joint operation was launched in the Bhart Ridge area of Kishtwar. This is the same group responsible for the abduction and killing of two innocent villagers. Contact was established, leading to a firefight.”
According to the postmortem report, the two village defence guards were shot in the head from behind, execution-style. The victims had been blindfolded and their hands tied before being killed. The terrorists reportedly used pistols to execute the VDGs.Naib Subedar Rakesh Kumar, who had tragically lost his father Amar Chand just over a week ago, was visiting the forest area for the first time since the tragedy. His close friend, Ahmad, had been tending to the livestock during Kumar’s mourning period.
The security forces continue to conduct operations in the region as the search for the remaining terrorists intensifies.The Army and local authorities have pledged full support to the families of the fallen soldiers, acknowledging their sacrifice in the fight against terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
