This is an archive article published on August 4, 2023
3 soldiers dead in encounter with militants in Kulgam
In a tweet at 6.39 pm, the Kashmir Zone Police wrote: “Encounter has started at high reaches of Halan forest area of Kulgam district. Army and Kulgam Police are on the job. Further details shall follow.”
Written by Naveed Iqbal
Srinagar | Updated: August 5, 2023 08:43 AM IST
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The injured soldiers were evacuated to the hospital for treatment. “Their condition is critical,” said an Army source, who did not wish to be identified.
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3 soldiers dead in encounter with militants in Kulgam
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At least three Army personnel were killed in an encounter between militants and security forces in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Friday evening.
The Chinar Corps, Indian Army tweeted from its official handle at midnight: “On specific inputs regarding presence of terrorists on higher reaches of Halan in Kulgam, operations launched by Security Forces on August 4, 2023. In exchange of firing with terrorists, three personnel sustained injuries and later succumbed. Search operations are continuing.”
The injured soldiers had earlier been evacuated to the hospital for treatment.
In a tweet at 6.39 pm, the Kashmir Zone Police wrote: “Encounter has started at high reaches of Halan forest area of Kulgam district. Army and Kulgam Police are on the job. Further details shall follow.”
Twenty minutes later, at 6.59 pm, they tweeted: “Kulgam encounter update: Three jawans got injured in the encounter. They are being evacuated to hospital for treatment. Search in the area intensifies. Further details shall follow.”
The incident comes a day before Jammu and Kashmir marks four years since the abrogation of Article 370.
As reported earlier, data for the last three years accessed by The Indian Express show that of the 251 ‘terrorist-initiated’ incidents in J&K between January 2021 and May 30 this year, 15 were in the three districts of Jammu region and 236 in the Valley.
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While the three Jammu districts saw 2, 10 and 3 incidents in 2021, 2022 and 2023 (until May 30) respectively, the Valley saw a significantly higher number of such incidents at 129, 100 and 7 in the corresponding period.
The Valley also recorded a higher number of civilian casualties (60 since 2021) while the Jammu region saw 15 civilian deaths in the corresponding period.
However, the terror attacks in three districts of Jammu region – Poonch, Rajouri and Jammu – had been bloodier and more high-visibility when compared to the strikes in the Valley. The latest such attack was on May 5 when five Army personnel were killed in a forested area in Rajouri. Two weeks earlier, on April 20, five soldiers were killed when their truck was ambushed in Poonch. May also saw five more soldiers lose their lives in Rajouri when militants, cornered by the troops, triggered an explosion in a densely forested area.
Naveed Iqbal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, and reports from Jammu and Kashmir. With a career spanning over 15 years in frontline journalism, Naveed provides authoritative reporting on the region’s transition, governance, and the socio-political implications of national policies.
Expertise
Regional Specialization: Based in the Srinagar and New Delhi bureaus, Naveed has spent over a decade documenting the unique challenges of Jammu and Kashmir. Her reporting is distinguished by deep contextual knowledge of the region's post-Article 370, statehood debates, and local electoral politics.
Key Coverage Beats: Her extensive body of work covers:
Politics & Governance: Tracking the National Conference (NC), PDP, and BJP dynamics, including in-depth coverage of J&K’s first Assembly sessions and Rajya Sabha polls following the reorganization of the state.
Internal Security & Justice: Providing rigorous reporting on counter-insurgency operations, terror module investigations, and judicial developments involving political detainees and constitutional rights.
Education & Minority Affairs: Highlighting systemic issues such as quota rows in J&K, public service commission reforms, and the challenges faced by minority communities. ... Read More
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