An Indian Army Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) died on Saturday after he succumbed to his injuries from last night’s battle against terrorists who were attempting to infiltrate the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district. The fallen soldier, Subedar Kuldeep Chand, belonged to the 9 Punjab Regiment, the Army’s Jammu-based White Knight Corps confirmed via a post on X (formerly Twitter).
“The General Officer Commanding (GOC), White Knight Corps, and all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of braveheart Subedar Kuldeep Chand of 9 Punjab. He gave his life while courageously leading a counter-infiltration operation along the LoC in the Keri-Battal area of Sunderbani on the night of April 11, 2025,” the statement read.
#GOC #WhiteKnightCorps and all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of #Braveheart Sub Kuldeep Chand of 9 PUNJAB. He laid down his life while gallantly leading a #CounterInfiltration operation along the #LineofControl in the #Keri–#Battal area of #Sunderbani on the night of 11 Apr… pic.twitter.com/y6MmMcfTN9
— White Knight Corps (@Whiteknight_IA) April 12, 2025
They further added that the team’s bravery and Subedar Kuldeep’s ultimate sacrifice successfully thwarted the terrorists’ infiltration bid.
Earlier today, the Army also reported the killing of two terrorists in an ongoing anti-terror operation in the snow-covered Chhatru region of Kishtwar district. One terrorist had been neutralized in the same operation the previous day.
“Despite harsh and inclement weather, two more Pakistani terrorists have been eliminated in the Chhatru, Kishtwar operation. A large cache of war-like stores, including an AK and an M4 rifle, has been recovered,” the White Knight Corps posted.
Army’s ongoing operation against infiltration in Jammu and kashmir
These developments unfold as the Army intensifies its ongoing anti-militancy operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, now entering its fourth straight day. On Saturday, security forces eliminated two terrorists during a challenging operation conducted in high-altitude, snow-laden terrain.
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The Kishtwar offensive is part of a wider counter-terror initiative targeting militant activity in the hilly regions of Jammu. Over the past 19 days, five encounters have occurred across Kathua, Udhampur, and Kishtwar districts. These operations have led to the deaths of three terrorists. On March 28, four police personnel were killed in an encounter with terrorists in Kathua, where two militants were also gunned down. The district has increasingly become a key infiltration route used by Pakistan-based terrorists attempting to move toward the higher reaches of Udhampur, Doda, and Kishtwar, and eventually into the Kashmir Valley, officials said.
With one terrorist already neutralized on Friday, the total number of militants killed in the operation has risen to three. Officials suspect that more terrorists remain at large in the area and are under mounting pressure due to continuous search operations. Following Saturday’s encounter, troops recovered an AK-47 and an M4 rifle from the scene.
Earlier, on April 1, Pakistan violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Poonch sector, allegedly to facilitate infiltration attempts under the cover of gunfire. The Indian Army responded firmly, and sources later reported that four to five Pakistani Army personnel were killed in the retaliatory action.
