Rifleman Mohit Rathour, a resident of Sawanagar village in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh, who was killed in the Kupwara BAT attack on Saturday, was the sole break-earner for his family and had married only a year and a half ago. A pall of gloom spread in Badaun as soon as the news of Mohit's martyrdom reached his family and neighbours. Mohit's last rites will be performed with military honours in Sawanagar village of the Islamnagar police station area.
Army Foils BAT Attack Along Kupwara LoC; 1 Soldier Killed, Major Among 4 Others Injured; Pak Intruder Shot Dead
Location where the exchange of fire took place (X@ChinarcorpsIA)
Published : Jul 27, 2024, 10:46 AM IST
|Updated : Jul 27, 2024, 5:17 PM IST
At least one soldier was killed and four others, including a Major rank officer, were injured when the Indian Army foiled a Pakistani Border Action Team (BAT) attack on the line of control (LoC) in the Kumkadi area of Machil sector in north Kashmir's Kupwara district on Saturday morning.
A Pakistani intruder was also killed in the incident. Sources said Pakistan Army's Border Action Team (BAT), which carries out cross-border operations and raids across the Line of Control, was involved in the incident and the Pakistani civilian killed was working as a guide for them.
They said that five Indian Army soldiers including a Major rank officer suffered injuries in the attack. "All five troops were evacuated from the location. One of the injured soldiers has lost his life due to injuries," they said. The slain soldier, sources said, is from Jammu & Kashmir.
"The BAT team involved in the attack is suspected to have regular Pakistan Army troops including their SSG commandos who work closely with terrorist organisations," they added.
Earlier in the morning, Indian Army's Chinar Corps, in a post on X, said the firing took place in the Kamkari area of Machil (also spelled as Macchal) Sector in the north Kashmir district.
"Firing in Macchal Sect. There has been exchange of fire with unidentified personnel on a forward post in Kamkari, Macchal Sector on the line of control. One Pakistani person has been killed while two of our soldiers have suffered injuries and have been evacuated. Operations are in progress," Chinar Corps posted on X.
The injured soldiers were evacuated to the nearest medical facility. The incident comes three days after one militant and a non-commissioned officer (NCO) of the Indian Army were killed in an overnight encounter in Kupwara.
The incidents in north Kashmir come amid a surge in militant attacks and gunfights in border areas of Jammu. In one such gunfight that started on July 15, four Army personnel including a Captain were killed in action at Doda.
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Soldier Killed In Kupwara Belonged To UP's Badaun, Had Married Year And A Half Ago
Foreign Militants Infiltrate, Carry Out Attacks, And Then Escape: Mehbooba Mufti Slams Centre
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and party chief Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday criticised the government's handling of security issues in Jammu, noting the presence of foreign militants. "I want to tell the government that foreign militants infiltrate into Jammu, carry out attacks, and then escape. What are you doing about it? People in Jammu are, too, scared to go outside" Mehbooa said while speaking at an event in Srinagar to mark the 25th Foundation Day of the People's Democratic Party (PDP).
She challenged Home Minister Amit Shah to establish a committee with 20 representatives from each side of Kashmir across the Line of Control to meet biannually and discuss critical issues. Read More...
Explained | Who Are Pakistan's BAT Units, What Is Their MO, And How Has Indian Army Foiled Their Attacks
Pakistan’s Border Action Teams (BAT), which was responsible for Saturday's attack along the Line of Control in Kupwara, are specialized units designed for cross-border operations to assert control along the LoC. Comprising Pakistan's Special Services Group (SSG) and militants from groups such as Lashkar-e-Toiba, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, and Jaish-e-Mohammad, these teams conduct raids up to three kilometres into Indian territory. Members receive extensive training from both the Pakistani Army and Air Force.
How Do They Operate:BAT operations typically involve six to seven Pakistani soldiers and a few militants who conduct systematic reconnaissance of vulnerable spots along the 778 km LoC before launching their raids. They are trained in guerrilla tactics, aiming to create disruptions and instil fear.
Armed Personnel Crossed LoC, Fired On Army Post: Defense Spokesperson on Kupwara Attack
A group of two to three armed personnel crossed the Line of Control and fired on a forward Army post from close proximity, while taking advantage of bad weather and poor visibility along the Line of Control in Machhal Sector, Srinagar-based Defense Spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday.
"Alert troops responded vigorously and in the ensuing exchange of fire, one Pakistani intruder was killed," the spokesperson said, adding the Army recovered weapons, ammunition and war-like stores.
"Identification and affiliation of this Pakistani National is being ascertained. During this intense fire exchange, two of our brave soldiers also suffered some grave injuries and were hence immediately evacuated to the Base Hospital at Srinagar. Unfortunately, one of these brave hearts has succumbed to his injuries. The other brave is responding well to treatment and care and is presently stable," the spokesperson added.
"In the past too, similar attempts by infiltrators, actively aided and abetted by Pakistani Army have exploited thick foliage and poor visibility conditions but have always, as today, been successfully thwarted and disrupted. Indian Army is firm in its resolve and commitment to maintain the sanctity of the Line of Control and defeat the nefarious and inimical designs of the Pakistan Army," it said.
Army Pays Tribute To Soldier Killed In Kupwara BAT Attack
Indian Army paid tributes to the soldier who was martyred in the BAT attack that was foiled along the Line of Control in Kupwara today. Army's Chinar Corps, in a post on X, identified the slain soldier as Rifleman Mohit Rathour.
"All Ranks of the Chinar Corps salute the supreme sacrifice of Braveheart Rfn Mohit Rathour who laid down his life in the line of duty, today in the Kupwara Sector, on the Line of Control. Chinar Warriors salute his immense valour and sacrifice, express deepest condolence and stand in solidarity with the bereaved family," the post read.
In Wake of Terror Attacks, 2 BSF Battalions To Be Moved From Odisha To Jammu
The government has ordered the extraction of two BSF battalions, comprising more than 2,000 personnel, from Odisha to beef up security in the terror-hit Jammu region along the India-Pakistan border.
Quoting sources, news agency PTI reported that the decision to "immediately" move the two units from the anti-Naxal operations grid to Jammu was taken in the wake of the recent spate of terror attacks in the region.
Officials in the security establishment said the two Border Security Force (BSF) units were meant to be deployed as the "second line" of defence behind the first tier of its units deployed along the international border in the Jammu area to check infiltration of terrorists from across the frontier, apart from attacks by these elements in the hinterland.
The troops of these two units are expected to be based in Samba and near the Jammu-Punjab border, PTI reported. Read More...
Kupwara BAT Encounter: Operation Continues, Multiple Army Reinforcement Teams Rushed To The Spot
As the Indian Army foiled the BAT attack along the Line of Control in Kupwara, multiple teams of the army were rushed to the encounter site to clear out the area and neutralise any remaining terrorists. The operation, sources said, continues. Army have recovered a cache of weapons from the slain Pakistani infiltrator, they said.
J&K Police Release Sketches of 3 Terrorists Involved in Jammu Attacks, Announce Rs 5 Lakh Reward
Police in Doda district of Jammu & Kashmir have released sketches of three suspected terrorists involved in the recent terror attacks. A police official said a reward of Rs 5 lakh will be provided per suspect and the identity of the informer will be kept secret. Doda district, which was cleared of terrorism in 2005, has witnessed a series of attacks since June 12 when six security personnel were injured in a terror attack in Chattergala pass. A total of 27 persons, including 11 security personnel, a village defence guard, and five terrorists, were killed in nearly a dozen terror attacks in six districts of Jammu province since the beginning of this year. Read More...
Kupwara Encounter | How Was The BAT Attack Foiled?
As the Indian Army foiled an attack by Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) in Machil sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district on Saturday, military sources gave more information about the attack and what exactly happened on the LoC.
They said that early Saturday morning, a group of three intruders hurled a grenade and opened fire on a forward post near the Kumkadi area in Trehgam area of the north Kashmir district. The troops retaliated, triggering a gunfight between the two sides, the sources said, adding that five soldiers were injured in the encounter and one of them later succumbed to his injuries.
"One Pakistani intruder has been killed," sources said, adding that two intruders managed to return to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) amid the intense gunfight that lasted for hours. They said the injured Army personnel, including a Major rank officer, were evacuated to a base hospital. The condition of one of the injured soldiers was stated to be "critical", the sources said.
Kupwara BAT Attack Comes Day After PM Modi's Warning To Pakistan From Kargil
The BAT Attack foiled by the Indian Army in Kupwara on Saturday came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed Pakistan for continuing to wage a "proxy war" in the grab of terrorism.
Modi, who was in Ladakh on the occasion of the 25th Kargil Vijay Diwas on Friday, said Pakistan had not learnt any lessons from history and continued to wage a proxy war in the garb of terrorism to stay relevant.
He asserted that the evil designs of the enemy will not be allowed to succeed. The prime minister slammed Pakistan, saying it has always faced defeat in the past. "Pakistan has not learnt anything from its past and has continued to wage war in the garb of terrorism and proxy wars to stay relevant," he said. His remarks came in the backdrop of a surge in terror incidents in the Jammu region.
Modi asserted that the nefarious intentions of terrorists will never be fulfilled. "Our bravehearts will crush all terror attempts," he added. He said India was making all efforts to maintain peace with its neighbour, but Pakistan showed its true colours. "However, falsehood and terror were brought down to their knees by truth," he added.
"Today, I am speaking from a place where masters of terror can hear my voice directly. I want to tell patrons of terrorism that their nefarious designs will never succeed," he said, adding, "our bravehearts will crush terrorism and enemy will be given a befitting response".
Kupwara Encounter | Who are BATs?
Known for aiding terrorist infiltration along the LoC in the past, Border Action Teams (BATs) include commandos from the Pakistan Army, with sources saying that Pakistan's spy agency ISI may have reactivated such teams along the LoC in both Jammu as well as Kashmir borders.
The BAT team involved in Saturday's attack is suspected to have regular Pakistan Army troops including their SSG commandos who work closely with terrorist organisations. In the past, BAT teams were responsible for the brutal killing of several Indian soldiers along the LoC.
About the modus operandi of such teams, defence experts say a group of Pakistan army soldiers work along with terrorists, armed with the latest weaponry including bullets made of Chinese steel, to carry out cross-border raids.
Pak Army Troops Part of BAT Attack Foiled In Kupwara: Sources
Indian Army troops have foiled a Pakistani Border Action Team (BAT) attack on the Line of Control against Indian forces in north Kashmir's Kupwara. The BAT team involved in the attack is suspected to have regular Pakistan Army troops including their SSG commandos who work closely with terrorist organisations, Defence sources said.
Last Updated : Jul 27, 2024, 5:17 PM IST