The Indian Army has informed that four soldiers had laid down their lives “while undertaking a counter terrorist operation” in Urrar Baggi, Doda in Jammu and Kashmir. The martyrs have been identified as Captain Brijesh Thapa, Naik D Rajesh, Sepoy Bijendra and Sepoy Ajay.
The White Knight Corps had informed around midnight on Monday that based “specific intelligence inputs”, a joint operation between the Indian Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police, code named ‘Op Kothi-2’, was underway in General area North of Doda.
“Contact with terrorists was established tonight at about 2100h in which heavy firefight ensued. Initial reports suggest injuries to our bravehearts,” it stated.
The White Knight Corps also informed that operations were continuing and that additional troops have been moved into the area.
Union Minister of Defence, Rajnath Singh has expressed sadness by the loss of our brave and courageous Indian Army Soldiers in the operation. “My heart goes out to the bereaved families. The Nation stands firmly with the families of our soldiers who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty”, he said in a post on X.
Singh also informed that Counter Terrorist operations are underway, and that “our soldiers remain committed to eliminate the scourge of terrorism and restore peace and order in the region.”
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, paid his tributes to the martyred soldiers and extended his condolences to the bereaved families.
“Such horrific incidents happening one after the other is extremely sad and worrying”, Gandhi said while adding that the “continuous terrorist attacks are revealing the poor condition of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Our soldiers and their families are bearing the brunt of BJP’s wrong policies, he said. Further, the LoP demanded that the “government should take full responsibility for the repeated security lapses and take strict action against the culprits who harm the country and the soldiers.” In this hour of grief, the entire country stands united against terrorism, he added.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge too said that no words of strong and unequivocal condemnation will suffice for these acts of violence being perpetrated by cowardly terrorists and stated that the “spate of terror attacks that has gripped Jammu and Kashmir in the past 36 days, needs careful recalibration in our security strategy.”
Offering condolences, the Office of Lt. Governor of J&K called for unity in the fight against terrorism and also urged people “to provide us accurate information so that we can intensify anti-terror operations & neutralise the terror ecosystem.”
“We will avenge death of our soldiers & thwart the evil designs of terrorists and their associates,” he also said.
