Wounded soldier dies in J&K's Udhampur, operation continues

JAMMU: A soldier wounded in a gunfight with terrorists in J&K’s Udhampur district died Saturday, pushing this year’s security death toll in counterterrorism operations in the region to 20 — 14 in Jammu and six in Kashmir.

Officials said Lance Dafadar Baldev Chand suffered critical wounds Friday evening when terrorists opened fire on an Army–police search team near a hideout in Seoj Dhar forest of Dudu-Basantgarh, close to Doda district. Chand was evacuated to a hospital, where he later died.

Troops resumed the operation Saturday morning with reinforcements, using drones and sniffer dogs to track the group. “No fresh contact with the terrorists could be made,” an official said, adding the search was still under way.

White Knight Corps of the Army paid tribute, saying: “We stand with the bereaved family in this hour of grief.”

In Poonch district, security forces destroyed a terrorist hideout and seized an AK-series rifle, four magazines, 20 grenades and other material.