National: A valiant Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Indian Army laid down his life in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu and Kashmir along the Line of Control (LoC) while successfully thwarting an attempt by terrorists to infiltrate into Indian territory. The incident occurred during an intense gunfight in the Keri Bhattal area, officials confirmed.
Following the fierce exchange of fire, the terrorist group is believed to have retreated back into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The slain officer has been identified as Subedar Kuldeep Chand, belonging to the 9th Battalion of the Punjab Regiment and a resident of Himachal Pradesh, according to the Army.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the White Knight Corps, Lieutenant General P K Mishra, along with all ranks, saluted the supreme sacrifice of Subedar Kuldeep Chand. In a statement posted on X, the White Knight Corps, also known as the XVI Corps, acknowledged the braveheart’s ultimate sacrifice in leading a counter-infiltration operation on the night of April 11, 2025. The Corps emphasized that his team’s valor and his selfless act successfully foiled the terrorists’ infiltration attempt and expressed solidarity with the bereaved family during this difficult time.
Officials reported that alert troops detected the movement of heavily armed terrorists near a stream in a forward forested area of Keri Bhattal late on Friday night. Upon being challenged, a fierce gunfight ensued, continuing for a significant period. Subedar Kuldeep Chand sustained injuries during the encounter and tragically succumbed to them. Reinforcements have been deployed, and the entire area has been cordoned off as a search operation was underway at the time of the latest reports.
Notably, this incident occurred in the same area where, on February 11th, two Army personnel, including a captain, lost their lives, and another was injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast set off by terrorists.
The latest infiltration attempt comes just two days after India and Pakistan held a brigade commander-level flag meeting in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir to discuss matters related to border management.
This was the second such meeting since February, aimed at de-escalating tensions following nearly a dozen incidents of cross-border firing and an IED attack. The Indian Army has lodged a strong protest with their Pakistani counterparts regarding the cross-border terror activities and ceasefire violations.
While ceasefire violations along the LoC have become less frequent since India and Pakistan renewed their ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021, a separate incident on April 5th saw Border Security Force (BSF) personnel shoot dead a Pakistani intruder along the International Border in the R S Pura sector, leading to a subsequent flag meeting with Rangers.
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