Injured soldiers stable, undergoing treatment Army pays tribute to braveheart Srinagar, Jan 19: A paratrooper of the Indian Army succumbed to his injuries after being critically wounded in an encounter with terrorists in the upper reaches of Kishtwar district, as a large-scale search operation to neutralise the hiding terrorists entered its second day on Monday, officials said. The counter-terror operation was launched on Sunday in Sonnar village near Mandral-Singhpora in the Chatroo belt of Kishtwar following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists in the area. As security forces closed in during the search, they came under sudden fire, triggering a fierce gunfight in the dense forested terrain. During the exchange of fire, eight soldiers sustained injuries, most of them due to splinters after terrorists lobbed a grenade from a concealed position. The injured personnel were immediately evacuated to medical facilities. However, one of them, Havildar Gajendra Singh of the Special Forces, who had sustained critical injuries, succumbed during treatment at a military hospital in Jammu during the intervening night of January 18 and 19. Officials said the remaining seven injured soldiers are undergoing treatment and their condition is stable. “All injured personnel are stable and responding well to treatment,” an official said, adding that the best possible medical care is being provided to the wounded troops. The Army paid rich tributes to the fallen soldier, acknowledging his supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. In a post on social media platform X, the White Knight Corps said, “The General Officer Commanding, White Knight Corps, and all ranks pay solemn tribute to Havildar Gajendra Singh of the Special Forces, who made the supreme sacrifice while gallantly executing a counter-terrorism operation in the Singpora area during the ongoing Operation Trashi-I.” “We honour his indomitable courage, valour and selfless devotion to duty and stand firmly with the bereaved family in this hour of profound grief,” the Army added. In another post, Army spokesman said search operations under Operation Trashi-I continue in the general area of Son Nar, northeast of Chhatru. The cordon has been further tightened with search operations expanded, he said. “Troops of WhiteKnightCorps, along with Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF, remain deployed to dominate the area,” the spokesman added. The operation, which had to be suspended late Sunday night due to darkness and difficult terrain, was resumed early Monday morning. Officials said the area poses significant operational challenges, including thick vegetation, steep slopes, and limited visibility, making movement slow and tactical manoeuvres risky. Multiple teams of the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and paramilitary forces have been deployed to comb the area thoroughly. The search operation is being supported by drones and sniffer dogs to track possible movement of the terrorists, while a tight security cordon has been established to prevent any escape routes. According to police officials, two to three terrorists, believed to be affiliated with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit, are suspected to be hiding in the region. “The security forces are proceeding cautiously, maintaining close coordination among all agencies involved. The operation is underway and will continue until terrorists are eliminated,” he added. Earlier, the Army’s Jammu-based White Knight Corps had said that contact with terrorists was established in the general area of Sonnar, northeast of Chatroo, during a joint search operation conducted along with the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The operation has been codenamed ‘Operation Trashi-I’. “Operations remain underway with additional forces inducted to reinforce the cordon, supported by close coordination with civil administration and security agencies,” the Army said, commending the troops for their professionalism and resolve while responding to hostile fire under extremely challenging conditions. It is the third major encounter between security forces and terrorists in the Jammu region this year. Earlier encounters were reported in the Kahog and Najote forest areas of Billawar in Kathua district on January 7 and January 13, respectively. Last month, on December 15, a police officer was killed in an encounter with terrorists in Soan village of the Majalta area in Udhampur district. In that incident, the terrorists managed to flee, taking advantage of dense foliage and darkness. The recent spate of encounters follows a massive counter-terror operation launched across the forest belts of the Jammu region in December last year to flush out nearly three dozen terrorists believed to be hiding in the area. Meanwhile, security measures have been further intensified ahead of Republic Day celebrations, and forces remain on high alert to ensure peace and security in the region.