An Army soldier was killed and several others were injured during an encounter with terrorists in Kishtwar, officials said on Monday.
The Indian Army paid tribute to Havildar Gajendra Singh of the Special Forces, who laid down his life while carrying out a counter-terrorism operation in the Singhpora area during the ongoing Operation Trashi-I. In a post on X, the Army’s White Knight Corps said the soldier made the supreme sacrifice on the night of January 19, 2026.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
“The GOC, White Knight Corps and all ranks salute Havildar Gajendra Singh for his courage, valour and selfless devotion to duty. We stand firmly with the bereaved family in this moment of deep grief,” the Army said.
Officials said the encounter began on Sunday in Sonnar village near Mandral-Singhpora in the Chatroo belt of Kishtwar. During the gunfight, eight soldiers were injured, most of them suffering splinter injuries after terrorists hurled grenades at the security forces.
The operation was temporarily halted late Sunday night due to difficult terrain, dense vegetation, and poor visibility in the forested area. With daylight on Monday, security forces resumed the search operation to track down the terrorists believed to be hiding in the upper reaches of the district.
Multiple teams of the Army, police, and paramilitary forces are combing the area, supported by drones and sniffer dogs. A tight security cordon has been put in place to prevent the militants from escaping.
Officials said two to three terrorists, believed to be linked to the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad, are suspected to be trapped in the area. However, there has been no fresh exchange of fire since the operation resumed.
The search operation was ongoing at the time of filing this report, officials added.
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