Srinagar: An Indian Army Colonel commanding a Rashtriya Rifles unit along with a Major and a Deputy Superintendent of the Jammu and Kashmir Police were killed in an encounter with terrorists in in Kokernag area of Anantnag district of Kashmir on Wednesday.
According to officials, the officer was commanding the 19 RR unit.
“An Indian Army Colonel commanding a Rashtriya Rifles Unit along with a Major have lost their lives in an encounter in Anantnag with terrorists in Kashmir. The off-vet was commanding 19 RR,” Indian Army said in an official statement.
Colonel Manpreet Singh, Commanding Officer of 19 Rashtriya Rifles, Major Ashish Dhonack, and Deputy Superintendent Humayun Bhat were critically injured in the gunfight with terrorists that ensued in the Garol area of Anantnag district in the morning hours of Wednesday.
The officers succumbed to their injuries during the treatment, they said.
Bhat, father of a two-month-old daughter and son of retired Inspector General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Ghulam Hasan Bhat, died due to heavy blood loss, they added.
Om Shanti 💔🌺
Terrible News coming from #Anantnag
area of Jammu & Kashmir. We lost a High Rank Colonel of Indian Army in a Encounter currently going on 🙏Two more Seniors, a Major from Army & DSP from J&K Police are seriously injured & taken to Hospital. Pray for them 🇮🇳🥺 pic.twitter.com/mqRV7w3xe6
— Vivek Singh (@VivekSi85847001) September 13, 2023
Earlier, officials said that two top officers of the Indian Army and a Jammu and Kashmir policeman sustained critical injuries as a gunfight with terrorists which broke out on Wednesday morning after the former security forces cordoned off the area following specific inputs about the movement of terrorists in the area.
Let us all pray for Kokernag, Anantnag (Kashmir). pic.twitter.com/1CGLozO2NH
— Zaira Nizaam 🇮🇳 (@Zaira_Nizaam) September 13, 2023
An Army colonel and a Major along with a police officer sustained critical injuries in the initial exchange of fire between the two sides, an official said.
The wounded officers were airlifted to Srinagar from the encounter site, they said.
STORY | Security personnel, who were critically injured in a gunfight with terrorists in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, airlifted to Srinagar from the encounter site.
READ: JK: Army colonel, policeman critically injured in gunfight with terrorists
VIDEO: pic.twitter.com/ro81TfdT7A
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 13, 2023
The banned Resistance Front, believed to be a shadow group of banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has claimed responsibility.
Officials believe that it is the same set of terrorists who had carried out the attack on army personnel on August 4 killing three jawans in the higher reaches of the Halan forest area of Kulgam district.
The operation against the terrorists began on Tuesday evening in Garol area but was called off during the night.
This morning, the hunt for the terrorists resumed after information started trickling that they were spotted at a hideout, the officials said.
Colonel Singh, leading his team from the front, attacked the terrorists. However, the terrorists fired upon him and he was critically injured.
Major Ashish and DSP Bhat were also hit by bullets resulting in critical injuries, they said.
Senior army and police officers, GoC 15 Corps Lt General Rajiv Ghai and including DGP Dilbag Singh rushed to the spot to assess the situation.
Earlier Jammu and Kashmir Police had posted on social media handle that an “encounter has started in #Kokernag area of #Anantnag. Officers from Army and JKP injured. Details shall follow”.
“Encounter has started in #Kokernag area of #Anantnag. Officers from Army and JKP injured. Details shall follow,” Kashmir Zone Police had posted on X.
Kashmir-based XV corps also gave details that “based on specific intelligence on presence of terrorists a Joint Operation was launched by #IndianArmy & @JmuKmrPolice on the intervening night of 12-13 Sep in Area Garol, Anantnag.
“Contact established and firefight ensued. Two Army personnel and one J&K Police personnel injured. Operation in progress.”
(With inputs from agencies).
For breaking news and live news updates, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Read more on Latest India News on India.com.
