The army on Tuesday lost another soldier to a gunfight with militants in Jammu, this time on the Line of Control in Poonch while foiling an infiltration bid.

The death has taken to 20 the number of men killed by militants since the June 9 offensive, which include 11 security forces personnel and nine pilgrims. Dozens more have been injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took oath of office for the third term
on June 9.

Late on Tuesday evening, the army said the soldier injured in a predawn gunfight with militants in the Battal area of the Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch had succumbed to his wounds.

“All Ranks of #WhiteKnightCorps salute the supreme #sacrifice of #Braveheart L/Nk Subhash Chander who laid down his life in the line of duty,” the army’s Jammu-based White Knight Corps said in a post of X.

Early in the morning, the army had said a soldier was injured after alert troops foiled an infiltration bid at 3am by “effectively engaging” with the militants with “effective fire”.

The army did not say whether the militants had suffered any casualty.

“#WhiteKnightCorps offers deepest condolences and stands firm with the bereaved family in this hour of grief,” the army said.