SRINAGAR, July 31: Six people, including a top Indian army officer, were killed in a gun battle between troops and militants trying to sneak into Indian Kashmir from the Pakistani side on Tuesday, said an army spokesman.The Indian colonel was the most senior officer to be killed this year in the region, which has seen a spurt in separatist violence with the onset of summer.

“A fierce encounter broke out after the army challenged a group of infiltrators this morning in the Uri sector,” said Lieutenant-Colonel A.K. Mathur. “A colonel and a soldier lost their lives.”

Colonel Mathur said four militants were also killed in the clash which was still continuing in the Uri area, about 100km (60 miles) west of Srinagar.

Militants continue to sneak across the frontline despite a fence along the Line of Control which divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

Colonel Mathur said this was the second major infiltration attempt by militants in the last two weeks.—Reuters

Opinion

Editorial

Doctor attacked
09 Jun, 2026

Doctor attacked

AN act of reprehensible violence has shaken the medical community. On Saturday, an employee of the Provincial Civil...
AJK flare-up
Updated 09 Jun, 2026

AJK flare-up

The situation started deteriorating after a trader affiliated with the JAAC was reportedly shot in an altercation with law-enforcers.
Fault lines
09 Jun, 2026

Fault lines

THE April 8 ceasefire that halted hostilities between Israel and Iran has encountered its most serious test yet....
Soft on traders
08 Jun, 2026

Soft on traders

THE Fixed Tax Asaan Scheme for traders with an annual turnover of up to Rs200m has been designed as a ‘pragmatic...
Ceasefire in name
Updated 08 Jun, 2026

Ceasefire in name

Both sides accuse the other of violating the truce that was supposed to halt the conflict in April, yet neither appears willing to abandon negotiations altogether.
Damaged childhoods
08 Jun, 2026

Damaged childhoods

CHILD abuse is so prevalent that the UN ranked Pakistan as the least safe country for children. Even so, more than...