Three Army personnel, including a Colonel and a Major, along with Deputy Superintendent Humayun Bhat of Jammu and Kashmir Police, tragically lost their lives during a gunfight with terrorists in the Kokorenag area of the valley. One soldier was also reported missing. The fierce encounter unfolded in the Garol area of Anantnag district, with Colonel Manpreet Singh, Commanding Officer of 19 Rashtriya Rifles, Major Ashish Dhonack, and Deputy Superintendent Humayun Bhat sustaining critical injuries.
Regrettably, all three officers succumbed to their injuries during treatment, while another soldier’s whereabouts remained uncertain, raising concerns about his condition. DGP Dilbag Singh expressed his condolences, vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Humayun Bhat, a father of a two-month-old daughter and the son of retired Inspector General Ghulam Hasan Bhat, succumbed to severe blood loss. The banned Resistance Front, linked to Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Officials suspect that these are the same terrorists responsible for the August 4 attack on army personnel, which claimed the lives of three soldiers in the Halan forest area of Kulgam district. The operation against the terrorists began on Tuesday evening but was temporarily halted during the night. It resumed when information emerged that the terrorists were spotted at a hideout.
Colonel Singh, leading from the front, confronted the terrorists but suffered critical injuries. Major Dhonack and Deputy Superintendent Bhat were also wounded by gunfire. Senior army and police officers arrived at the scene to assess the situation.
This tragic incident occurred a day after an Army personnel and Kent, a six-year-old female Labrador from the Army’s dog unit, were killed, and three security personnel were injured in a gunfight in the Rajouri area of Jammu region. Two terrorists were eliminated in the remote Narla village.
Political leaders, including former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, extended their condolences to the bereaved families. People’s Conference Chairman Sajad Gani Lone and BJP leader Altaf Thakur also paid tribute to the fallen officers, emphasizing the security forces’ commitment to eradicating terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir.
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