Jammu: Two village defence guards were shot dead by terrorists in a forested area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Thursday. The bodies of the victims are yet to be recovered and a massive search operation has been launched by security forces. The deceased have been identified as Nazir Ahmad and Kuldeep Kumar.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his father Farooq Abdullah have condemned the tragic incident. He said that such acts of barbaric violence remain a significant obstacle to achieving long-term peace in Jammu and Kashmir. Thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased in this hour of grief, he added.
JKNC President Dr Farooq Abdullah and VP & Chief Minister @OmarAbdullah have condemned the gruesome killing of two village defence guards in Kishtwar namely Nazir Ahmad and Kuldeep Kumar, in a forest area. They have said that such acts of barbaric violence remain a significant…
— JKNC (@JKNC_) November 7, 2024
Kashmir Tigers took responsibility for the murders
Militant violence continues
A senior officer said that terrorist activities have been reported in the area for several months. He said that during the recent assembly elections, there were at least two instances of firing between terrorists and security forces in the region. Sources also said that both village defence guards (VDGs) had gone to the forests of Kuntawada in Chatroo with cattle in the morning but did not return by evening. Before the villagers could contact the police, militants released photographs of the two VDGs, claiming they had been killed.
Gunfire exchanged in Sopore, 2-3 terrorists trapped
Meanwhile, gunshots were heard during a cordon and search operation in the Sagipora area of Sopore, North Kashmir. A police officer confirmed that, acting on specific intelligence, a joint team of police and the army launched the operation in Sagipora on Thursday evening. The officer said that gunshots were heard during the search, prompting security forces to tighten the cordon around the area. The encounter began after joint security forces launched a large-scale operation in Sopore. It is believed that two to three terrorists are trapped in the area.
