In a tragic turn of events, two Indian soldiers were killed, and two others sustained injuries during a fierce gunbattle with terrorists in Chatroo village of Kishtwar district, Jammu and Kashmir, on Friday.
The White Knight Corps of the Indian Army confirmed the casualties on social media platform X, paying tribute to the fallen soldiers. “White Knight Corps and all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of the #Bravehearts; offer deepest condolences to the families,” the corps wrote, also sharing pictures of the martyrs. The soldiers who lost their lives have been identified as Naib Subedar Vipan Kumar and Sepoy Arvind Singh.
The injured personnel were promptly transported to a hospital, while additional reinforcements were dispatched to support security forces engaged in the anti-terror operation. The encounter began when a joint team of the Army and police, acting on a tip-off, launched a cordon-and-search operation in the Naidgham area of Chhatroo.
The White Knight Corps had earlier revealed that the operation, in collaboration with Jammu and Kashmir Police, was based on intelligence inputs, confirming that contact with the terrorists was established at approximately 3:30 PM.
In a related development, two terrorists were neutralized earlier in the day during a separate encounter in Khandara, Kathua, by troops of the Rising Star Corps. "Operations in progress," the corps stated on X.
These operations come amid heightened security as eight Assembly segments across the Chenab Valley region—including Doda, Kishtwar, and Ramban districts—prepare to vote in the first phase of elections on September 18. Jammu, Kathua, and Samba districts are scheduled to hold elections in the second and third phases on September 25 and October 1, respectively.
