A fierce gunbattle erupted early Monday morning in the Guddar forest area of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district, resulting in the killing of one terrorist and injuries to a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Indian Army.
The anti-terror operation was launched jointly by the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) after receiving specific intelligence inputs regarding the presence of terrorists hiding in the dense forest zone.
As per officials, security forces advancing into the area came under sudden fire, triggering a retaliatory response. In the exchange, a JCO from the elite 10 PARA unit was injured and later evacuated for medical treatment. His condition is said to be stable.
“Based on specific input by JKP, a joint operation was launched by the Army, Police and CRPF in the Guddar forest of Kulgam. Troops spotted suspicious movement and were fired upon, leading to a heavy exchange. One terrorist has been killed, and a JCO has sustained injuries. The operation is still underway,” a statement from Chinar Corps said.
The identity of the slain terrorist is yet to be confirmed. The entire area remains under a tight security cordon, with more reinforcements rushed in to plug possible escape routes.
It is worth noting that this is the second major encounter in the Guddar forest area this year. Earlier, in July, a prolonged anti-terror operation in the same region had lasted nearly 15 days. That operation led to the elimination of multiple foreign terrorists and was marked by difficult terrain, dense forest cover, and unpredictable weather, making it one of the most challenging in recent times.
Security forces remain on high alert as the current operation continues. Further updates are expected.
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Swastika Sruti is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX Digital with 5 years of experience shaping stories that matter. She loves tracking politics- national and global trends, and never misses a chance to dig deeper into policies and developments. Passionate about what’s happening around us, she brings sharp insight and clarity to every piece she works on. When not curating news, she’s busy exploring what’s next in the world of public interest. You can reach her at [swastika.newsx@gmail.com]