Indian Army commando killed as Kupwara sees heavy exchange of fire

Security forces and terrorists exchange fire in Jammu And Kashmir's Kupwara. Initial reports from Times Now suggest that an Indian Army commando has been killed in the line of duty and another personnel wounded.

The area has been cordoned off and additional forces are reportedly underway.

Update

An Indian Army commando was killed in a gunfight between hiding militants and security forces in a forested area of Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, army officials have confirmed.

Army sources said commando identified as Sepoy Mukul Meena of 3 Para Regiment was killed and another soldier injured during an ongoing gunfight in Sadu Ganga forest area of Kupwara.

They said that an operation was launched in the forest area on Tuesday following information about a group of militants hiding there.

Raging Militancy 

As ET had earlier reported, Security forces have killed more than a 100 terrorists this year. As per officials, while only about 27 of these terrorists are foreigners, the remaining chunk of them are locals who have just joined terrorist groups. The two terrorists who were killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian on morning of June 10 are the most recent example.

The operation started on wee hours of June 10, when a joint team of Indian Army’s 34 RR, Special Operation Group of J&K police and CRPF, acting on a tip-off regarding presence of militants launched a crackdown in Kundalan village triggering an encounter.

Another ET report quoted officials revealing that the burial of local terrorists and civilians who are killed in stone-pelting incidents or during clashes with security forces are turning to be powerful “motivating” factors for locals to join terrorist ranks.

Around 82 local youths have joined terrorist ranks in Jammu and Kashmir so far this year, signalling a sharp rise compared to the 128 who became terrorists in the whole of last year, government officials have said. The clashes between security forces and terrorists groups are seeing more locals crossing over to terrorist ranks as they are motivated by the ‘heroic’ burial being given to each of the terrorist/civilians who have been shot down.

Earlier on June 22, six people, including four militants, one policeman and a civilian were killed in an encounter in Srigufwara village of Anantnag district in southern Kashmir. On June 19, three Jaish-e-Muhammad militants were killed in an encounter in Tral area of southern Kashmir.