Indian captain killed in Kashmir as clashes escalate
The Indian army said on Wednesday that one of its captains succumbed to his injuries during clashes with suspected rebels in an Indian-administered district in the disputed Kashmir region.
The army said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that all officials “salute the supreme sacrifice of the braveheart Captain Deepak Singh, who laid down his life in the line of duty in Jammu and Kashmir and express deepest condolences to the bereaved family.”
Police said a militant had been killed during the shooting, with local media saying the fighting took place in the forests of Doda district in Jammu division.
The news came the same day as Indian Defense Minister Rajnat Singh convened a meeting with army, security and intelligence chiefs following a string of militant attacks in the Jammu region. It also came a day before India celebrates its 77th independence day on Thursday.
Jammu on high alert
Security experts have raised alarm about the rise of military activity in the Jammu region.
Militants in India-controlled Kashmir have been fighting against New Delhi’s rule since 1989.
But militant activity centered mainly around Kashmir Valley. This year, the theater of conflict appears to be shifting to the much less affected Jammu area.
A string of attacks killed 14 soldiers last month, according to officials, stoking fears of militancy returning to the area.
The Hindu-dominated Jammu area also lies near the highly militarized Line of Control that divides the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan.
India’s military intensifies counterinsurgency operations
In response to the recent attacks, India’s military has intensified its patrol and counterinsurgency operations.
It has deployed additional troops, including hundreds from special forces, and set up new posts and camps.
Both India and Pakistan administer parts of the Kashmir region but both claim it in its entirety.
India alleges that Pakistan sponsors militancy in the Indian-administered parts of Kashmir. Pakistan denies the charge.