An Army soldier was killed on Monday in an encounter with militants in north Kashmir's Sopore. On Sunday evening, a joint team of forces cordoned off the Gujjar Pati area of Zaloora in Sopore after receiving inputs about the presence of a militant hideout. As the joint team of forces zeroed in on the target, the militants hiding in the area opened fire, leading to a gunfight, officials said. Reinforcements were sent to the area and the cordon was strengthened, but the operation had to be suspended for the night due to fading light. On Monday morning, as the operation restarted, the militants opened fire again, injuring Swr Pangala Kartheek. He was then evacuated from the area, but succumbed to his wounds on the way. “All ranks of the Chinar Corps salute the supreme sacrifice of Braveheart Swr Pangala Kartheek, who laid down his life in the line of duty. Chinar Warriors salute his immense valour and sacrifice, express deepest condolences and stand in solidarity with the bereaved family,” the Army’s Chinar Corps said in a post on X. The operation against the militants is ongoing, officials said.
