Shillong, September 14: In Kokernag, Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district, two Indian Army officers and a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) were killed in a fierce clash with terrorists.
As per India Today, the attack has now been claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), as an act of vengeance for the killing of their veteran leader in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK) earlier this month.
Riyaz Ahmed, also known as Qasim, the LeT commander, was fatally shot at close range inside the Al-Qudus mosque in the Rawalakot region of POK on September 8. This event incited anger among his followers, culminating in the retaliatory assault in Kokernag as per TRF. Ahmed’s father was a terrorist as well, and he was killed in 2005.
The encounter in Kokernag unfolded during a joint anti-insurgency operation involving the J&K Police and the Army. Despite immediate reinforcements, the officers sustained critical injuries and couldn’t be evacuated due to the intense gunfire from the entrenched terrorists.
The fallen officers have been identified as Colonel Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish Dhonack, and DSP Humayun Bhat. Colonel Singh, the Commanding Officer of the 19 Rashtriya Rifles, lost his life on the spot, while Major Dhonack and DSP Bhat succumbed to their injuries later.
Simultaneously, a counter-terror operation is underway in Anantnag to apprehend the individuals responsible for the previous day’s attack. The Jammu and Kashmir Police have reported that they have “encircled” two LeT terrorists, with one of them identified as Uzair Khan.
“In solemn tribute to the unwavering valor of Col Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish Dhonak & DSP Humayun Bhat who laid down their lives leading from the front during this ongoing operation. Our forces persist with unwavering resolve as they encircle 2 LET terrorists, including Uzair Khan,” stated the Kashmir Zone Police in a post on X.