Doda: An Army officer was killed in a gunfight that broke out between security forces and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district on Wednesday. A terrorist was also shot down by the security forces.

The Kokernag operation has entered its fifth day

The encounter broke out in a thickly forested area during a cordon and search operation (CASO) launched by a joint team to track down a group of terrorists hiding in the Shivgarh-Assar belt in Doda’s Assar area.

The security personnel recovered an M4 rifle, clothes, and three rucksacks from the area.

According to Defence Ministry officials, Captain Deepak Singh belonged to the Army’s Corps of Signals and was on deputation with 48 Rashtriya Rifles (RR).

He was made a field Major to lead a company in the operation, the officials said.

“A captain of the Indian Army from the 48 Rashtriya Rifles was killed in action during the ongoing Op Assar in Doda district. Operations are still in progress,” Defence Ministry officials said.

A search operation for the terrorists has been launched in the area amidst the heavy gunfight, the Army’s White Knight Corps said in a post on X.

The terrorists are believed to be hiding in the Shivgarh-Assar belt and four of them might have also been injured as four blood-soaked rucksacks were found in the area.

The security personnel recovered an M4 rifle from the encounter site.

According to sources, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi briefed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the ongoing anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir including the Doda encounter.

Four blood-soaked rucksacks and clothes were recovered from the encounter site.

The terrorists crossed into Doda from a forest near Patnitop in the adjacent Udhampur district after a brief exchange of fire between security forces and terrorists there.

According to officials, security forces established contact with the terrorists around 6 pm in Udhampur on Tuesday. The encounter began about half an hour later and continued intermittently until both sides paused. A cordon was established overnight.

The search resumed at daylight. At about 7.30 am on Wednesday, there was a renewed exchange of fire, officials said.

Meanwhile, the Kokernag operation has entered its fifth day. The search operation in the Gagarmunda forests of Kokernag continues as security forces intensify efforts to locate the terrorists responsible for the recent killing of two soldiers. On Wednesday, the Army’s Para Commandos, the Police’s Special Operations Group, and paramilitary CRPF were combing the challenging terrain in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district to track down the terrorists involved in the deadly encounter last Saturday.

The operation, initiated after terrorists attacked security forces in the Gagarmunda forests of Kokernag, has now stretched into its fifth day. The encounter in the mountainous region, situated at an altitude of 10,000 feet, resulted in the deaths of two Indian Army soldiers, Havaldar Deepak Kumar Yadav and Lance Naik Praveen Sharma, as well as one civilian.