CJI Chandrachud condoles death of 4 soldiers in J-K at Christmas event in Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud on Monday condoled the death of four soldiers in an ambush attack by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri sector on Thursday of last week.

Addressing the Christmas programme at the Supreme Court, the CJI said, “We should not forget the soldiers standing tall on the borders. We lost four members of our armed forces a few days ago. So, as we celebrate Christmas, let us not forget those on the borders who are spending these cold mornings protecting us and our nation”.

#WATCH | Delhi, Addressing the Christmas Day program at the Supreme Court, CJI DY Chandrachud says, "We lost four members of our armed forces a few days ago. So as we celebrate Christmas, let us not forget those on the borders who are spending these cold mornings protecting us… pic.twitter.com/e0ImURjPdb

— ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2023

Later, on Monday, Army chief General Manoj Pande is scheduled to visit the Rajouri sector to review the ongoing counter-terrorist operations underway in the area.

Four Army personnel were killed while three others were injured after heavily armed terrorists ambushed two Army vehicles near Thanandi in the Rajouri sector on Thursday last week. On Sunday, the four fallen soldiers, Naik Birender Singh, Rifleman Gautam Kumar, Naik Karan Kumar, and Rifleman Chandan Kumar, were accorded a tearful send-off at a wreath-laying ceremony in Rajouri.

The Indian Army said on Saturday that it was conducting an inquiry into the deaths of three civilians in the Poonch-Rajouri sector, where terrorists carried out the ambush attack on the forces.

Taking to X, the Indian Army posted, “Search operations by the security forces are continuing in the area of operations after the incident of December 21. Reports have been received regarding three civilian deaths in the area. The matter is under investigation. The Indian Army stands committed to extending full support and cooperation in the conduct of investigations,” the army added in its post.

A fierce encounter broke out after terrorists fired at two army vehicles passing through Dera Ki Gali in Rajouri’s Poonch region at 3.45 pm last Thursday. “At around 3.45 pm on December 21, two Army vehicles, carrying troops to the operational site, came under fire by terrorists. The jawans returned fire immediately,” an Army official said.

“Our troops are in the process of intensifying the joint operation against terrorists underway in the area since last evening. The operations are taking place in the 48 Rashtriya Rifles area,” the official added. (ANI)