In a prolonged anti-terror operation in the Gadol forest of Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district, local security forces have successfully neutralized a Lashkar terrorist, with the search ongoing for the body of another militant, the police have confirmed. The alpine forest bore witness to a week-long offensive involving hundreds of mortar shells, rockets, and heavy gunfire.
Tragically, this extended operation resulted in the loss of four security personnel, including three officers – Colonel Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish, and DySP Himayun Bhat of Jammu and Kashmir Police.
The encounter commenced on Wednesday when a joint operation by the army and police was launched in the Gadol forest following specific intelligence regarding the presence of at least three Lashkar terrorists.
On Sunday, a charred body, too disfigured for immediate recognition, was discovered at the encounter site. The remains have been sent for medico-legal procedures, and today, the police confirmed the individual as Uzair Khan, a local Lashkar terrorist who had joined the group a year ago.
Uzair, aged 28, remained anonymous until Wednesday when the police identified him as one of the three Lashkar terrorists involved in the Gadol encounter.
“LeT commander Uzair has been killed. His body and weapon have been recovered. We have spotted the body of another terrorist but it has not been retrieved so far. Search operations will continue,” stated Vijay Kumar, Additional Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police.
Mr. Kumar urged the public to avoid venturing into the forest area due to the presence of unexploded shells.
“There are many unexploded shells. We will recover these shells and destroy them. We advise people not to venture towards the encounter site,” Mr. Kumar added.
During the encounter, the army executed a specialized operation to recover the bodies of the fallen officers. The body of the missing soldier, Sepoy Pardeep Singh, was recovered yesterday. Today, the army paid tribute to the fallen soldier.
Thousands of security forces personnel, including para-troopers, were engaged in the week-long Gadol forest operation, making it one of the longest anti-terror operations in recent history.
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Image Source: PTI
