Udhampur, September 20 — One soldier of the Indian Army was injured in an exchange of fire during an encounter between security forces and militants in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district on Friday evening, officials said.
The operation, launched on the basis of specific intelligence inputs, involved joint teams from the Army, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, and local police units. It unfolded in the limits of Dudu police station, bordering the high-altitude Seoj Dhar area, where contact was established with the militants, leading to the firefight.
In a post on the social media platform X, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for Jammu confirmed the development: “On actionable intelligence, contact established with terrorists at Seoj Dhar. Encounter in progress. Joint teams of SOG-JKP and Indian Army on ground.”
Reports indicated that the injured Army jawan sustained wounds during the initial exchange of fire and was promptly evacuated for medical treatment. Details regarding his condition were not immediately available.
Earlier in the evening, the White Knight Corps, the Army’s formation responsible for operations in the region, had posted on X about an intelligence-based operation in the general area of Kishtwar, stating that “alert troops of the White Knight Corps established contact with terrorists at around 8 pm.” However, sources in the police clarified that no encounter was underway in Kishtwar, suggesting the post may have referred to a separate or related development.
The incident in Udhampur comes amid a series of security operations in the region over the past year, reflecting heightened militant activity in the forested and mountainous terrains of Jammu division. Several encounters have been reported in the area, underscoring the challenges faced by security forces in containing infiltration and local recruitment by Pakistan-based outfits.
Notably, on June 26, a top commander of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), identified as Haider, was eliminated in an encounter in the Dudu-Basantgarh forest belt. Haider, who had been active in the region for the past four years, was described by officials as a key operative of the proscribed militant group.
In a similar incident on April 25, an Army soldier was killed during a firefight with militants hiding in the Basantgarh area, highlighting the persistent threat posed by such groups in the hinterlands of Udhampur and adjoining districts.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
