Brave Sacrifice: Indian Army Officer Killed While Thwarting Terrorist Infiltration
Tragic Encounter Along the Line of Control
Jammu: An Indian Army Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) lost his life during a confrontation with terrorists near the Line of Control (LoC) in the Akhnoor sector, successfully preventing their infiltration into India, officials reported on Saturday.
Following the intense firefight in the Keri Bhattal region, it is believed that the terrorists retreated back into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The deceased officer, Subedar Kuldeep Chand from the 9-Punjab regiment, hailed from Himachal Pradesh.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the White Knight Corps, Lt Gen P K Mishra, expressed condolences, stating, "We honor the ultimate sacrifice made by Sub Kuldeep Chand of 9 PUNJAB. He bravely led a counter-infiltration operation along the LoC in Keri Battal on the night of April 11, 2025."
The White Knight Corps, based in Jammu, added, "His courage and the valor of his team thwarted the terrorists' infiltration attempt. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family during this difficult time."
#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
Officials indicated that vigilant troops detected a group of heavily armed terrorists near a stream in a forested area of Keri Bhattal late Friday night. Upon challenging them, a fierce gunfight ensued.
Subedar Kuldeep Chand sustained injuries during the encounter and later succumbed to them. The area has since been cordoned off, with reinforcements deployed and a search operation ongoing.
Earlier in the same area, on February 11, two Army personnel, including a captain, were killed, and another was injured due to an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion.
This incident follows a brigade commander-level flag meeting between India and Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, aimed at addressing border management issues.
This was the second such meeting since February, intended to reduce tensions after multiple incidents of cross-border firing and an IED attack.
The Indian Army has lodged a strong protest regarding cross-border terrorism and ceasefire violations.
Ceasefire violations along the LoC have been infrequent since the renewal of the ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021.
On April 5, Border Security Force (BSF) personnel shot a Pakistani intruder along the International Border in the R S Pura sector and subsequently held a flag meeting with Rangers regarding the incident.