27 soldiers lost in six major J&K terror attacks in two years

The Rashtriya Rifles and Para Special Forces unit of the Indian Army have lost 27 soldiers in six major terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir over the past two years, according to sources. This includes the recent loss of two officers from the Indian Armed Forces and a Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police during a counter-terrorism operation in Anantnag district on September 13.

These incidents serve as reminders of the ‘supreme sacrifice exhibited by the men of our armed forces, similar to what Colonel Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish Dhonchak of the 19th Rashtriya Rifles, and DSP Humayun Bhat demonstrated a few days ago against Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists.

Incident 1: Poonch (October 11, 2021)  

Five soldiers, including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) from Rashtriya Rifles, lost their lives in a terror attack at Dera Ki Gali, Poonch. They were responding to intelligence about infiltrated terrorists. The slain soldiers were identified as Naib Subedar Jaswinder Singh, Naik Mandeep Singh, Sepoys Gajjan Singh, Saraj Singh, and Vaisakh H. 

Incident 2: Poonch (October 14, 2021)  

Another five soliders from Rashtriya Rifles were killed in an attack at Bhatta Durriyan, Poonch.

Image: PTI/ representative

Incident 3: Rajouri ( August 11, 2022)

Last August, four more jawans from Rashtriya Rifles succumbed to a terror attack in Pargal, Rajouri. Subedar Rajendra Prasad, Rifleman Manoj Kumar, Rifleman Lakshmanan D, and Rifleman Nishant Malik fought valiantly against two LeT 'fidayeen' or suicide attackers. The jawans retaliated against the infiltration attempt, resulting in an encounter where five army personnel were injured, four of whom later succumbed to their injuries. The army also neutralised the two terrorists with links to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Incident 4: Poonch (April 20, 2023)

Five Army personnel were killed and another seriously injured after their vehicle caught fire following a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch. The deceased Army soldiers were from a Rashtriya Rifles unit deployed for counterterror operations. According to reports, the terrorists were using Chinese steel-core bullets during the gunfight.

Incident 5: Rajouri (May 5, 2023)

Five officers, including personnel from the Para Special Forces unit, were killed-in-action in Kandi, Rajouri. They were killed in a terrorist-triggered explosion during an operation aimed at flushing out terrorists involved in an earlier ambush. The soldiers encountered the terrorists in a heavily forested and rocky area, leading to the tragic incident. Operations are ongoing. Mobile internet services in Rajouri were suspended after the attack.

Incident 6: Kulgam ( August 4,  2023)  

In the most recent incident, three soldiers from Rashtriya Rifles were KIA in Hallan, Kulgam. They were initially injured in a clash and were then moved to a nearby hospital. Search operations have been intensified. In a previous operation in Poonch, four terrorists were neutralised and weaponry was recovered.

The Anantnag encounter

During the counter-terrorism operation in Kokernag, Anantnag district in Jammu and Kashmir, the officers made the ultimate sacrifice in a gunfight with terrorists on Wednesday. The banned resistance front, linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility. This incident follows a similar attack in August, where three jawans lost their lives.

Condolences and tributes poured in from across the nation, saluting the dedication and valour of the armed forces and police personnel. Punjab Police, the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, and the Ministry of Defence all paid their respects, emphasising the courage and supreme sacrifice made by these officers.