Jammu/Srinagar, Nov 10 (IANS) A para commando of the Army was killed and three others injured on Sunday as security forces engaged in a gunfight in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar with a band of terrorists, identified as the same one involved in the recent abduction and murder of two Village Defence Committee (VDC) members in the district.

Four soldiers were injured in the initial firing exchanges between the terrorists and the security forces in the Chaas area of Kishtwar.

“The injured have been shifted to hospital where attending doctors said that three of the injured Para commandos have sustained critical gunshot injuries,” officials said.

The Nagrota-headquartered White Knight Corps identified the slain soldier as Naib Subedar Rakesh Kumar, of 2 Para (SF).

"#GOC #WhiteknightCorps and all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of #Braveheart, Nb Sub Rakesh Kumar of 2 Para (SF). Sub Rakesh was part of a joint #CT operation launched in general area of # Bhart Ridge #Kishtwar on 09 Nov 2024. We stand with bereaved family in this hour of grief," it said in a post on X.

Army chief, Gen Upendra Dwivedi and all ranks also saluted the supreme sacrifice of the braveheart "who laid down his life in the line of duty in J&K", offered its deepest condolences and says it "stands firm with the bereaved family in this hour of grief".

Earlier, the Nagrota Corps, in a post on X, said that on specific intelligence input regarding the presence of terrorists, a joint operation was launched in general area of Bhart Ridge in Kishtwar, contact established, and firefight ensued.

It said that it was "the same group which had abducted and killed two innocent villagers (Village Defence Guards) in the Kishtwar region two days back".

Meanwhile, search operations also continued in the Ishbar forest area of Srinagar district where an early morning exchange of fire took place between the terrorists, believed to be two to three in number, and the security forces.

Officials said that two local trekkers were rescued by the security forces from the Ishbar forest area where the initial firing exchanges took place after two to three persons carrying weapons were seen in the area.

"After the initial contact (firing exchanges) with the terrorists in Ishbar, the search operation is still continuing there," an official said.

On Saturday, a terrorist was killed in an encounter in the Rampora locality of Sopore in Baramulla district. A day before that, two foreign terrorists were killed in another gunfight with the security forces in the Sagipora locality of Sopore town.

Once known as the hometown and political bastion of hardline separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Sopore has traditionally been the hotbed of separatist sentiment in the Valley. Due to the overall improvement in the law & order situation and pro-active anti-terror thrust by the security forces, Sopore had not only returned to normal in the last few years, but a perceptible change of political loyalty also came to light when the people participated in the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in large numbers.

Two back-to-back encounters in Sopore have brought to light the basic reality that unless terrorism and its ecosystem are completely wiped out in J&K, the situation will continue to be dicey and peace will remain fragile. It is for this reason that the Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha, who controls the police and remains responsible for law & order even after an elected government took office in J&K, has recently directed the security forces to spare no effort in eradicating terrorism, its sympathisers, harbourers, and the terror ecosystem that sustains violence.

Intelligence agencies say that the handlers of terrorists across the border have directed the terrorists in J&K to carry out attacks in order to remain in news headlines irrespective of whether the victim is a civilian or from any security force - police, army, or paramilitary.