Operation Akhal: J&K Leaders Honor Fallen Soldiers in Kulgam Encounter

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah paid heartfelt tributes to Lance Naik Pritpal Singh and Sepoy Harminder Singh, two Army soldiers killed in a prolonged anti-terror operation in Kulgam district. The encounter, one of the longest in the Kashmir Valley, stretched into its ninth day on Saturday, highlighting the relentless efforts of security forces to combat terrorism.

The operation began with a cordon and search mission in the forested Akhal area of South Kashmir, where the soldiers engaged terrorists in a fierce gunfight. “I salute the indomitable courage of our bravehearts, Lance Naik Pritpal Singh and Sepoy Harminder Singh, who made the supreme sacrifice for the motherland,” Sinha said in a statement. “Their valor and determination will never be forgotten. My thoughts are with their families in this hour of grief.”

Chief Minister Abdullah visited the Chinar Corps headquarters in Badamibagh, Srinagar, to lay a wreath in honor of the fallen soldiers. “The Chief Minister paid rich tributes to the brave soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in Kulgam,” his office posted on X. The operation follows heightened security measures after the April 2025 Pahalgam attack, with the Army recently neutralizing all three involved terrorists.

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Despite a strained working relationship, marked by tensions over bureaucratic control and security oversight, Sinha and Abdullah united in mourning the loss, emphasizing the soldiers’ enduring legacy.

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