Doda encounter update: Officer among four soldiers killed in Jammu and Kashmir. Details here

Doda encounter update: Four army personnel, including an officer, who were critically injured in a gunfight with heavily-armed terrorists, succumbed to injuries in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir early Tuesday.

As per the latest update, the Indian Army is using helicopter to carry out a search operation in the forests of Doda as the hunt for terrorists in the region is on.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, also spoke to the Indian Army chief, General Upendra Dwivedi. The general had apprised Rajnath Singh about the ground situation, and ongoing operations in Doda.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh also expressed deep concern over the armed encounter in the Dessa area of district Doda. Taking to X, he wrote, “Deeply disturbed by the reports of armed encounter in Dessa area of district #Doda in my Lok Sabha constituency. Words fall short of condoling and condemning the martyrdom of our Bravehearts. Let all of us join together to defeat the nefarious designs of the enemy and, maintain peace and harmony for which Doda has always been known for.”

Officials told news agency ANI that the encounter started following a joint cordon and search operation by Rashtriya Rifles troops and the Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police at Dhari Gote Urarbagi in the Desa forest area around 7:45 pm.

According to their statement, four army personnel, including an officer, and one police personnel sustained injuries during the initial exchange of fire, which lasted for more than 20 minutes.

As per the official, "The injured were evacuated to the hospital and their condition was stated to be “critical”. Citing the Army, the agency also reported that additional troops were moved into the area and the operation was continuing when reports last came in. The operation was launched on an input about the presence of terrorists.

Earlier on July 15, the Indian Army had successfully eliminated three hardcore foreign terrorists attempting to infiltrate across the Line of Control (LoC) in the Keran Sector of the Kupwara District of the state. As per the officials, on the intervening night of July 13-14, acting on credible inputs, multiple ambushes were laid along the appreciated route of infiltration.

Prior to that on July 8, an Indian Army convoy was attacked by terrorists in the Machedi area of the Kathua district. Five army personnel were killed and six were injured in the exchange of fire between terrorists and security forces.

(With inputs from ANI)