Srinagar: The Army on Wednesday said that the seven-day-long joint operation in Gadol, Kokernag in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district concluded with the killing of two terrorists while two AK rifles and other war-like stores were recovered from the operation site.
The Army also paid rich tributes to officers and soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty.
“Op Garol, #Anantnag A joint operation was conducted from 13-19 Sept by #IndianArmy and @JmuKmrPolice in area Garol, Anantnag based on specific intelligence inputs regarding the presence of terrorists. The first contact was established on 13 Sep resulting in a firefight and a prolonged operation that continued till 19 Sep. Two terrorists have been eliminated along with a recovery of 02xAK Rifles, 01xPistol, and other war-like stores. #ChinarCorps salutes the supreme valour & and sacrifice of Col Manpreet Singh, SM, DySP Humayun Bhat, Maj Aashish Dhonchak, SM & Sep Pardeep Singh who laid down their lives in service of the Nation, in the highest traditions of the Indian Army and JKP. The Joint Operation has been concluded. #Kashmir @adgpi @NorthernComd_IA @OfficeOfLGJandK,” Chinar Corps-Indian Army posted on X.
The encounter had started on Wednesday after the Army and the Police launched a joint operation in Gadol forest following a specific input about the presence of two to three Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists.
Police on Wednesday said that the protracted anti-terror operation in the Gadol forest ended with the killing a of local Lashkar terrorist.
The security forces and Police said that they would also sanitise the alpine forest that was pounded with hundreds of mortar shells, rockets, and heavy gunfire during the week-long offensive.
Four security personnel including three officers – Colonel Manpreet Singh and Major Ashish of the Army, and DSP Muhammad Humayun Muzamil Bhat of J&K Police – were killed in the encounter, one of the longest in the recent past.
On Tuesday, Police said that the body of a local Lashkar terrorist who had joined the group a year ago was recovered from Gadole forest.
“LeT commander Uzair has been killed. His body and weapon have been recovered. We have spotted the body of another terrorist but it has not been retrieved so far. The search operation will continue,” Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Kashmir Zone, Vijay Kumar said on Tuesday.
The ADGP had asked people not to venture towards the forest area because a lot of unexploded shells lay there.
“There are a lot of unexploded shells. We will recover these shells and destroy them. We urged people not to venture towards the encounter site,” Kumar said.
During the encounter, the Army said that they retrieved the bodies of the fallen officers through a specialised operation.
The body of the missing soldier Sepoy Pardeep Singh was recovered on Monday.
Thousands of security forces personnel including paratroopers were engaged in the week-long Gadol forest operation, one of the longest anti-terror operations in the recent past.