While security forces have failed to establish any contact with terrorists hiding in the forest of Poonch, the bodies of two more soldiers including one Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) have been recovered. With the recovery of two more bodies, nine soldiers including two JCOs have been killed in a six-day long encounter.
"Subedar Ajay Singh and Naik Harendra Singh of the Indian Army were killed in action during search operations being conducted by the Indian Army along with Jammu and Kashmir Police in the densely forested area of Nar Khas forest in Mendhar of Poonch district", Defense spokesperson Col Devender Anand said.
Subedar Ajay Singh and Naik Harendra Singh were part of search operations launched by the security forces to flush out terrorists hiding in the forested area.
#GOC, @WhiteKnight_IA and all ranks salute the braveheart Subedar Ajay Singh, who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty on 14 Oct 21 at #Poonch during a search operation and offer deep condolences to the family.@adgpi @NorthernComd_IA pic.twitter.com/kOrlCPm9zX
— White Knight Corps (@Whiteknight_IA) October 16, 2021
"On 14 October 2021 after a fierce firefight with terrorists, the communication with Subedar Ajay Singh and Naik Harendra Singh was disrupted", he said, adding, "Relentless operations continued to neutralize the terrorists and to re-establish communication with the soldiers.
#GOC, @WhiteKnight_IA and all ranks salute the braveheart Naik Harendra Singh, who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty on 14 Oct 21 at #Poonch during a search operation and offer deep condolences to the family.@adgpi@NorthernComd_IA pic.twitter.com/7xZVJ5il2d
— White Knight Corps (@Whiteknight_IA) October 16, 2021
Subedar Ajay Singh and Naik Harendra Singh were killed in action in the fierce fight and their bodies have been recovered on the evening of 16 October 2021. The operations in the area are continuing".
Terrorists trapped, likely to be liquidated: DIG
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Poonch-Rajouri range, Vivek Gupta said that the cordon of the area has further strengthened and terrorists were trapped in a specific area. "Due to topography of the area, it will take up some to eliminate the terrorists", he said and added that forces are tracking some groups of terrorists for the last three months.
He, however, refused to divulge the exact numbers of the terrorists active in this belt. "Things will be cleared only after elimination of the terrorists", he said.
Search operation continues in forest area
A search operation by security personnel continued in the Bhata-Durian area which is adjacent to the Dehra Ki Gali (DKG) forest ridge in Rajouri-Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir.
Army troops along with the Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police had launched a search operation in this dense forest. According to police, vehicular traffic had been suspended on the highway between Bhimber Gali and Surankote on Friday.
