By Peerzada Ashiq
Copyright thehindu
One soldier was killed in an ongoing anti-terrorist operation in the upper reaches of Doda-Udhampur belt in the Jammu division on Saturday (September 20, 2025) as the operation to flush out the group of terrorists hiding in a forest area continued for the second day.
A spokesperson of the Army’s White Knight Corps, which is coordinating the operation, identified the soldier as Lance Dafadar Baldev Chand. “He made the supreme sacrifice during an ongoing operation at Kanji, Udhampur on the night of September 19-20, 2025,” the spokesperson said.
The group of terrorists, believed to be around three to four, was spotted and engaged in a firefight on Friday (September 19, 2025) evening at the Seoj Dhar area. Chand was injured in the first bout of the exchange of fire, officials said.
The operation to hunt down the terrorists continued in the night. Till Saturday (September 20, 2025) evening, no slain terrorist was spotted at the encounter site spread over a vast area of forests.
The Army said the operation was launched following a specific tip-off about the movement of terrorists in the area. It was joined by the Jammu & Kashmir Police’s special operations group to navigate the forested and hilly terrain.
Drones banned
In a related development in the Kashmir valley, the J&K Police has prohibited the use of unmanned aerial vehicles and drones in the wake of movement of terrorists in a forest range of south Kashmir.
“In view of prevailing security considerations, it is hereby notified that flying of drones, UAVs, or any other similar aerial devices is strictly prohibited within the jurisdiction of Anantnag without prior permission from the competent authority,” the police said.
The police warned that any unauthorised flying will be dealt with strictly. “Such equipment may also be seized,” it said.
Soldier dead
A Srinagar-based Army spokesperson said one soldier died in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, without revealing the cause of death.
The spokesperson of the Army’s Chinar Corps said the soldier, identified as Major Apraant Raunaq Singh, “made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty” in Baramulla district.
“We stand in solidarity with the bereaved family and are committed to their well-being,” the Army said.
