Top Hizb Commander and Four Militants Killed in Kulgam Encounter
Srinagar, Dec 19: Security forces achieved a significant success in Kashmir as Farooq Nali, a top Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander, was killed along with four other militants in an encounter in the Kadder area of Kulgam district on Thursday morning. Nali, one of the valley’s longest surviving militants, was implicated in numerous attacks on civilians and security forces.
The joint operation by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police commenced late Wednesday night following credible intelligence about terrorist activity in the area. According to officials, the militants opened heavy fire when challenged, leading to a fierce gunfight. Two soldiers sustained injuries during the operation.
The Kashmir Zone Police confirmed the outcome on X, stating, “Five terrorists neutralized in Kulgam anti-terrorist operation. Identification being ascertained. Search operation continues.” The bodies of the militants remain at the site as the search operation progresses.
The Indian Army’s Chinar Corps described the militants’ response as “indiscriminate and heavy fire,” emphasizing the vigilant retaliation by security forces.
Mysterious Illness Claims Eight Lives in Rajouri’s Badhaal Village
Rajouri/Jammu: A deadly unidentified illness has claimed eight lives, including six children under the age of 14, in Badhaal village of Rajouri district. The latest victim, 12-year-old Ashfaq Ahmed, succumbed after six days of hospitalization at the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu.
Health authorities have dispatched a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) mobile laboratory to the affected area to expedite testing and identify the cause of the illness. A central team of experts has also been constituted to support the investigation.
Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, Abhishek Sharma, visited Badhaal to assess the situation and ensure urgent intervention. The fatalities, concentrated in two families, have raised concerns over the unknown disease’s source and transmission.
Authorities are working to contain the outbreak, with the BSL-3 lab expected to provide critical insights for immediate preventive measures.
