Attack on Army convoy by Jihadi Terrorists in J&K’s Kathua, 5 Hindu soldiers killed, 6 injured.

Jihadi Terror attack in Kathua: Five Hindu soldiers killed, another six injured in Jammu and Kashmir ambush.

Sarvesh Singh | HENB | New Delhi | July 8, 2024:: Five army personnel belonging to Hindu community were killed and six other injured on Monday in an ambush by Jihadi terrorists in the remote Machedi area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district. The attack occurred at around 3:30 pm when terrorists hurled a grenade and opened fire on army vehicles patrolling the Machedi-Kindli-Malhar road near Badnota village, about 150 km from Kathua town.

The injured soldiers were transported to the Community Health Centre in Kathua’s Billawar.

Security forces returned fire, but the terrorists fled into the nearby forest. Reinforcements have been dispatched to neutralise the terrorists, who are believed to have recently infiltrated from across the border.

This incident marks the second major attack in Kathua district in the past four weeks. On June 12-13, two terrorists and a CRPF jawan were killed in a gunfight during a search operation. On June 26, three foreign terrorists were killed in a gunfight in Doda district. The spurt in terror activities in Jammu is seen as an attempt by Pakistani handlers to revive terrorism in the region and disrupt the peace.

Remarkably, the Badnota-Kathua attack came on the death anniversary of Hizbul Mujahideen ‘commander’ Burhan Wani, who was killed in an encounter on July 8, 2016, in south Kashmir. There are frequent attacks on Army and Civilians in Jammu and Kashmir by the Pakistan supported Jihadi terror groups.

On June 9, terrorists attacked a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims from the Shiv Khori temple in Reasi district towards Vishno Mata temple in Jammu, resulting in nine deaths and 41 injuries.

It was known that all 5 soldiers who died in Kathua terror attack, were  from Uttarakhand state. They have been  identified as Rifleman Adarsh Negi from Thatti Dagar village in Uttarakhand’s Tehri Garhwal,  Naib Subedar Anand Singh Rawat from Kandakhal village in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district, Havaldar Kamal Singh from Papri village in Pauri Garhwal, Naik Vinod Singh from Chaund Jaspur in Tehri Garhwal, and Rifleman Anuj Negi from Dobariya village in Pauri Garhwal.

In a strong response to the attack, the defence ministry said the sacrifice of the soldiers “will not go unavenged”.

“I express profound grief on the loss of five Bravehearts in a terrorist attack in Badnota, Kathua, and extend deepest condolences to the bereaved families. Their selfless service to the nation will always be remembered & their sacrifice will not go unavenged and India will defeat the evil forces behind the attack,” the Defence Secretary Bharat Bhushan Basu posted on X.

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