Operation Akhal enters day 9: Two soldiers killed in J&K's Kulgam; encounter still under way
Jammu and Kashmir
's Kulgam district, the Army confirmed on Saturday.
The operation, which began on August 1, is still under way.
According to officials, two terrorists have also been killed so far, though their identities and group affiliations are yet to be confirmed.
The encounter started after security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in the Akhal forest area of south Kashmir, following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists.
An initial exchange of fire took place last Friday, after which the operation was paused for the night.
The cordon was tightened, and additional reinforcements were deployed.
Firing resumed the next day, leading to the killing of two terrorists. Security forces continue to engage the remaining militants believed to be hiding in the dense forest. Senior officials, including J&K Police chief Nalin Prabhat and Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, are monitoring the situation closely.
Drones, helicopters, and para commandos have been deployed to track down and neutralise the remaining terrorists. Security forces have maintained a strong perimeter around the area as the operation continues.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Punjab soldiers killed in Kulgam encounter with terrorists cremated with full military honours
The funeral of Lance Naik Pritpal Singh and Sepoy Harminder Singh , who were killed in a gunfight with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir 's Kulgam, was held with full military honours at their native places in Punjab on Sunday. The two Army soldiers were killed in an overnight gunfight with terrorists on the ninth day of an ongoing encounter in Kulgam district on Saturday. The encounter began on August 1 after security forces launched a cordon and search operation in a forest at Akhal in the south Kashmir district, following intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists there. Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Earlier in the day, the bodies of Lance Naik Pritpal Singh reached his native place Manupur village in Samrala and Sepoy Harminder Singh's body reached his village, Badinpur, in Mandi Gobindgarh. Grieving family members were joined by a large number of mourners at their residences to pay last respects. Pritpal Singh (28) joined the Army in 2015, his brother Harpreet Singh said. He got married in February this year and returned to duty in April. He was to come home on leave this month, his brother said. Live Events Harpreet said he received a call on Friday morning from Army officials that he died in a gunfight. Sepoy Harminder Singh (26) was to return home on leave in a week, his cousin said. He is survived by his elderly parents, a brother and a sister. Scores of mourners bid a tearful adieu to the two Punjab soldiers. Political leaders, senior officials from the district administrations and Army officials attended the cremation. Samrala MLA Jagtar Singh Dyalpura, who attended the cremation of Lance Naik Pritpal Singh, said the state government was with his family. He said Pritpal Singh performed his duty with bravery and dedication and his sacrifice will continue to inspire the youth. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has expressed grief over the death of the two soldiers. Former chief minister Amarinder Singh, too, condoled their death. "Deeply anguished by the martyrdom of Sepoy Pritpal Singh from Manupur, Khanna & Sepoy Harminder Singh from Badinpur, Mandi Gobindgarh in an encounter with terrorists in Kulgam, J&K. Their supreme sacrifice in service to the nation will never be forgotten. My prayers for strength to their families in this hour of grief," Singh posted on X.
Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Indian Express
Sepoy Harminder Singh: A Tricolour homecoming for Punjab's braveheart
A hushed sadness prevails in Badinpur, village of Fatehgarh Sahib district of Punjab where dreams of home renovations and marriage now lie beneath a tricolour-draped flag. Sepoy Harminder Singh, aged 27, soldier of the 19 Rashtriya Rifles, paid the ultimate price during Operation Akhal in Kulgam, Jammu & Kashmir, on August 8 when militants lobbed a grenade amid intense gunfire. He was enrolled in army in December, 2016. His mother, Gurpreet Kaur, spoke to the mediapersons through tears, 'Harminder had thought of getting his house renovated and we were also insisting him to get married… he had told me that whenever he will come on holiday, he will surely think about marriage… but who knew that he will come wrapped in a tricolour.' Village sources mention that Gurpreet remains inconsolable, and his father, Jaswant Singh, along with his sister, are both battling serious health issues for long now deepening the family's sorrow. On the auspicious day of Raksha Bandhan, the family was mourning over the loss of their son. His uncle, Darshan Singh, said, 'Our government should take strict steps to deal with terrorists… the army should be given a free hand to combat terrorists… our young bravehearts are getting martyred.' And Harminder's friend Gurminder Singh, said, 'He used to inspire others to work towards fitness and get enrolled in army… he was an inspiration to all of us… we are proud of his bravery but at the same time we are in grief over losing him.' Harminder will be cremated on Sunday morning in Badinpur, with full military honours. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, in a heartfelt post on X, solemnly said: 'In an encounter with terrorists in Kulgam… the tragic news was received of the martyrdom of soldier Pritpal Singh… and Sepoy Harminder Singh from the village of Badinpur… We express our heartfelt condolences to the families. We salute the spirit and bravery of the soldiers… an ex-gratia of ₹1 crore each will be provided to the families.' The Chief Minister added, 'Their dedication and bravery will always be remembered,' and reaffirmed Punjab's unwavering support for the bereaved in this time of grief. Meanwhile the operation Akhal has been continuing in Kulgam since August 1.
India.com
11 hours ago
- India.com
Gunfight erupts between security forces and terrorists in J&K's Kishtwar; Army deploys Rudra helicopters, drones
J&K encounter- PTI image Kishtwar: A gunfight started on Sunday between the joint security forces and the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district. The Army has deployed Rudra helicopters, drones and para commandos to ensure that the hiding terrorists are unable to escape. Security forces have been carrying out aggressive operations against the terrorists in the hinterland, while the Army has been on maximum alert guarding the Line of Control (LoC) in J&;K. Nagrota headquartered WhiteKnight Corps of the Army said on X, 'Alert Indian Army troops while carrying out an intelligence based operation have established contact with terrorists in general area of Dul in Kishtwar in early hours of 10 Aug 2025. Gunfire exchanged. Operation under progress'. Meanwhile, the prolonged anti-terrorist operation in the Akhal Devsar forest area of Kashmir's Kulgam district entered its 10th day. So far, one local terrorist and two soldiers have been killed in this operation, while four soldiers sustained injuries and are being treated in the hospital. The elimination of three hardcore Pakistani terrorists responsible for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people were killed, is part of the aggressive operations being carried out by the joint forces. Three hardcore Pakistani terrorists, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander, Suleman Shah and his two associates, Abu Hamza and Jibran Bhai, responsible for the Pahalgam attack, were killed on July 28 in the higher reaches of Dachigam national park on the foot of Mahadev mountain peak in Harwan area of Srinagar. The Army code-named this operation as 'Operation Mahadev'. After the Pahalgam terror attack, the security forces are carrying out anti-terrorist operations against gun-wielding terrorists, their overground workers and sympathisers. Drug smugglers and drug peddlers are also on the radar of the security forces because it is believed that the funds generated by the hawala money racket and drug smuggling are finally used to sustain terrorism in the union territory. The coordinated and Intelligence-backed operations of the joint forces are aimed at dismantling the ecosystem of terrorism in J&;K rather than focusing on just the elimination of the gun-wielding terrorists.
