Jammu: A Captain of the Indian Army from the 48 Rashtriya Rifles was killed during a clash with terrorists in the Assar area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district. The confrontation occurred during a search and cordon operation, following a brief firefight with a group of four terrorists believed to be hiding in the area. A civilian was also injured in the incident.
The security forces have launched a full-scale operation to apprehend the terrorists, one of whom is reported to have been injured. The Army recovered a US-made M4 assault rifle and three rucksacks with various equipment from the encounter site. The operation began after a tip-off about the terrorists’ location was received on Tuesday evening.
This attack coincides with heightened security measures ahead of Independence Day. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is leading a crucial meeting to review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, attended by senior officials including Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
The government recently introduced a new security strategy for the region in response to rising terrorist activities. This follows a recent incident in Anantnag, where two soldiers were killed in a gunfight, and an encounter in Kupwara last month where one soldier was killed and another injured.
