The mortal remains of Naik Karan Kumar of Indian Army’s 48^th Battalion of Rashtriya Rifles reached Kanpur this afternoon. The streets of Kanpur, the hometown of Naik Karan Kumar, were flooded with people keen to be the part of the last rites of the soldier who laid his life fighting terrorists in Poonch’s Dera ki Gali area. 

The streets were filled with a sea of mourners, eager to pay their respects during the final rites of the soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice while combating terrorists in Poonch’s Dera ki Gali area. People were heard chanting, “Jab tak sooraj chaand rahega, Karan tera naam rahega” in respect of the young soldier.

Notably, the 48th Battalion of Rashtriya Rifles draws in troops from the Garhwal Rifles regiment of the Indian Army. 

Poonch terror attack update: Death toll rises to four 

Tragically, the death toll in the Poonch terror attack rose to four, as two more soldiers succumbed to their injuries on Thursday night, while three soldiers sustained injuries. The fallen heroes were identified as Naik Birendra Singh, Naik Karan Kumar, Rifleman Chandan Kumar, and Rifleman Gautam Kumar. Among the injured, Sundeep Kumar, Shyam Sundar Das, and Todmal Dnyaneshwar Bhaskarrav, one is believed to have also succumbed to injuries. The attack occurred during an ongoing anti-militancy operation in Poonch district on Thursday afternoon. 

The soldiers were ambushed when suspected militants attacked two Army vehicles—a gypsy and a truck—en route to the anti-militancy operation in Poonch. The ambush took place on a road between Dera-Ki-Gali (DKG) and Buffliaz areas in Surankote tehsil of Poonch. The attackers managed to flee with some rifles of the targeted soldiers after the ambush. 

Search operation and encounter ensue 

In response to the attack, additional reinforcements were swiftly dispatched to support the troopers in their pursuit of the attackers. Acting on hard intelligence, a joint operation was launched in the DKG area. An encounter with the militants is currently in progress, as per a statement from a defense spokesperson. 

Pir Panjal, encompassing Rajouri district along with Poonch and parts of Reasi districts, has experienced a surge in militancy in recent years. Several Army soldiers have lost their lives in ambushes by militants in the region, highlighting the challenging security landscape.  

This attack comes less than a month after a brutal incident in the Baajimal area of the adjoining Rajouri district, where two army officers and an equal number of soldiers were killed. The intensity of the attack forced security forces to retreat temporarily, regroup, and then confront the militants, underscoring the formidable challenges faced by the armed forces in the region.