Overview

• Havaldar Jhantu Ali Shaikh, a soldier from West Bengal's Krishnanagar, was killed during a counter-terror operation in the Basantgarh area of Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district.
• The joint operation, involving the Indian Army’s White Knight Corps and Jammu and Kashmir Police, was launched based on specific intelligence regarding militant presence.
• Shaikh sustained grievous injuries in the initial exchange of fire and succumbed despite medical efforts; the operation remains ongoing as forces search for other militants.
• Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Union Minister Jitendra Singh paid tribute to Shaikh, emphasizing his sacrifice and valor.
• The Basantgarh region has been a known infiltration route, with recent militant activity escalating after the Pahalgam terror attack earlier this week that claimed 26 lives.