Pulwama encounter: two Jaish militants killed, four soldiers and a civilian dead

Two militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Monday. Four army personnel, including a Major, and a civilian were also killed in the gunfight, which began early in the morning after a cordon-and-search operation led to an exchange of fire.

Who was killed

Police had not yet confirmed the militants’ identities, but IANS quoted defence ministry spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia as saying that one of the two Jaish-e-Mohammed men was a top commander from Pakistan. Earlier reports had suggested that a senior JeM commander believed to be linked to the Pulwama suicide attack was among three militants trapped in the encounter.

The soldiers killed were from the 55 Rashtriya Rifles were named as Major VS Dhoundiyal, Havaldar Sheo Ram, and two sepoys, Ajay Kumar and Hari Singh. Heavy firing continued for some time, residents were asked to stay indoors, and the house where the militants were hiding was blown up.

Background

The encounter followed Thursday’s attack in Lethpora, Pulwama, in which a Jaish militant drove an explosives-filled vehicle into a convoy on the Jammu-Srinagar highway, killing about 40 CRPF personnel.

Other recent operations included a gunfight in Badgam on February 13 in which two militants were killed, and an encounter in Ratnipora, Pulwama, on February 12 in which police killed Hizbul Mujahideen militant Hilal Ahmed Rather, the main accused in planning the escape of Lashkar-e-Taiba militant Naveed Jhutt last year. A soldier also died in that operation. As many as five Lashkar and Hizbul militants were killed in a separate encounter in Kulgam.

What happened next

On 26 February 2019 the Indian Air Force carried out a strike at Balakot, and Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was returned by Pakistan on 1 March 2019.

See also: election news.

Originally published on 18 February 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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