Overview

• Two soldiers of 19 Rashtriya Rifles, Lance Naik Pritpal Singh and Sepoy Harminder Singh, were killed on August 8 after militants lobbed a grenade and opened fire during Operation Akhal in Kulgam’s Akhal forest.
• Their bodies arrived in Punjab on August 9–10 and were cremated with full military honours in Manupur and Badinpur villages.
• Hundreds of mourners, including local leaders like MLA Jagtar Singh Dyalpura and senior Army officers, gathered to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers.
• Pritpal Singh had been newlywed and planning a Diwali visit home, while Harminder Singh had discussed marriage and home renovations before deployment.
• Launched on August 1, Operation Akhal is continuing as security forces press on against militants after neutralising one combatant earlier in the encounter.