The Army is in the middle of a major search operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch after two soldiers, including a junior commissioned officer (JCO), went missing post an encounter on Thursday.
According to a by NDTV, the JCO and a soldier went missing after the Army came under heavy firing from terrorists on Thursday. The Army lost contact with the JCO on Thursday evening, the report said.
Five Army personnel were killed in a fierce gunfight with terrorists during an anti-insurgency operation in Poonch on Monday.
The operation was launched in a village close to DKG in Surankote in the early hours following intelligence inputs about presence of terrorists.
The shootings were the deadliest attack on military forces in the area since a ceasefire between India and Pakistan along the effective border was announced in February.
The deceased have been identified as Naib Subedar Jaswinder Singh, Naik Mandeep Singh, Sepoy Saraj Singh, Sepoy Vaisakh. H, and Sepoy Gajjan Singh.
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has announced ex-gratia of Rs 50 lakhs and a government job for one member each from families of Naib Subedar Jaswinder Singh, Naik Mandeep Singh and Sepoy Gajjan Singh.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath has also announced Rs 50 lakhs ex-gratia and a government job for one family member Saraj Singh.
Tensions have been stoked again in recent weeks with a spate of shootings of civilians in the area in attacks claimed by a militant group, including two teachers last week.
On August 10, the director general of police Dilbag Singh said that “after a brief lull following renewed truce deal between the two DGMOs (director general of military operations) on February 25, infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir resumed” and added that “terror camps across the border were still intact.”
In recent times there have been four encounters in Rajouri sector – Daddal in Nowshera, Sunderbani and Pangai in Thannamandi and Karyote.
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Source: News18