Two soldiers lost their lives during operations in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday.
While Sepoy Rajendra Singh, 22, who was injured in stone-pelting in Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Thursday, succumbed to a head injury, Lance Naik Brajesh Kumar, 32, died in an encounter on the outskirts of Sopore in north Kashmir in which two militants were killed too.
The Lance Naik belonged to Nanawin in Una district of Himachal Pradesh. He leaves behind his wife and daughter.
Joint teams of the state police, the Army’s 22 Rashtriya Rifles and 172 and 92 Battalions of the CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in Pazalpora Dangiwacha, 70 km from Srinagar, around 2 am following a tip-off. “During the operation, hiding militants opened fire. An encounter ensued in which two militants were neutralised,” Sopore SP Javid Iqbal said.
Lance Naik Brajesh Kumar sustained splinter injuries and was evacuated to a hospital, where he died.
Announcing the death of Sepoy Rajendra Singh, spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said he was part of the Quick Reaction Team providing security to a BRO convoy.
“Around 6 pm, as the convoy was passing through the Anantnag bypass tri-junction near NH-44, a few youths hurled stones at the vehicle. Sepoy Rajendra Singh was hit in the head. He was evacuated to 92 Base Hospital in Srinagar, where he died.”
The deceased, who hailed from a village in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, is survived by his parents. “Many soldiers have been injured in stone-pelting incidents, but it is the first time that a soldier has died,” said an Army officer. A senior police officer in south Kashmir, however, claimed no such incident yesterday.
Meanwhile, militants targeted an Army camp in Shopian. Nobody was injured, said sources.
