Officials said that the soldier injured earlier on Monday in the firing exchanges between the terrorists and the security forces in the Gujjarpati forests of Zaloora in the Sopore sub-division succumbed to critical injuries while being shifted to hospital.

On Sunday, joint teams of the army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CRPF cordoned off the Gujjarpati area during which a hideout was busted.

During the searches, the security forces were fired upon triggering an encounter. An army soldier was injured during the encounter, who later succumbed to critical injuries. Officials said that the operation was going on and further details are awaited.

The security forces have carried out aggressive operations against terrorists, their over-ground workers (OGWs) and sympathisers.

L-G Manoj Sinha ordered the hot pursuit of terrorists after they carried out some dastardly attacks after the peaceful, people-participative Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly elections.

Intelligence agencies suggest that the handlers of terrorists sitting across the border in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have been frustrated by the huge participation in these elections by the people.

Intelligence agencies suggest that the handlers of terrorism have directed terrorists to carry out attacks against the army, security forces, police and civilians to show their presence in order to instil fear in the minds of the common peace-loving citizens of the union territory.

Terrorists carried out attacks in Kathua, Rajouri, Poonch, Udhampur, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts of the Jammu division and later spread their attacks to the Valley in the last quarter of 2024.

Seven civilians including six civilian non-local workers and a local doctor were killed by terrorists in the Gagangir area of Ganderbal district on October 20 last year.

On October 24, 2024, three army soldiers and two civilian porters were killed when terrorists ambushed an army vehicle in the Botapathri area of Gulmarg.

On November 2 last year, terrorists hurled a grenade at the busy Sunday Market near the tourist reception centre (TRC) in Srinagar. A 42-year-old woman belonging to the Bandipora district, and the mother of three children, was killed and 11 other civilians were injured in that attack.

Courtesy Media Group: IANS