Srinagar, Jan 19: An army soldier was killed and several others injured in an encounter in the Kishtwar area of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said today.
“The #GOC, White Knight Corps and all ranks pay solemn tribute to Havildar Gajendra Singh of the Special Forces, who made the supreme sacrifice while gallantly executing a Counter Terrorism operation in the Singpura area during the ongoing Operation TRASHI-I on the night of 19 Jan 2026,” said the army, in a post on X.
“We honour his indomitable courage, valour and selfless devotion to duty and stand firmly with the bereaved family in this hour of profound grief.”
After a night-long halt, security forces resumed their search operation on Monday to track down terrorists believed to be hiding in the upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, officials said.
The operation was launched in Sonnar village near Mandral-Singhpora in the Chatroo belt on Sunday, leading to a gunfight that left eight soldiers injured, primarily due to splinter injuries caused by a sudden grenade attack from the hiding terrorists.
The operation was suspended late Sunday night in the challenging terrain marked by thick vegetation and steep slopes, limiting visibility and movement, officials said.
Multiple teams of the army, police, and paramilitary forces, supported by drones and sniffer dogs, are combing the area while maintaining a tight security cordon to ensure that the terrorists are not able to escape, the officials said.
A group of two to three terrorists allegedly affiliated with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) are believed to be trapped in the area, officials said, adding the operation resumed with the first light of the day and was ongoing when the last reports were received.
Officials informed that there was no fresh contact with the terrorists.
