An Indian Army Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), Subedar Kuldeep Chand, was martyred during a counter-infiltration operation in the Akhnoor sector’s Keri Bhattal area along the Line of Control (LoC) on the night of April 11, 2025. Troops successfully repelled the terrorists, who are believed to have retreated back into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The Army’s White Knight Corps confirmed the officer’s death, praising his “supreme sacrifice” and the team’s “valour” in preventing the infiltration. Subedar Kuldeep Chand, from 9-Punjab, was a resident of Himachal Pradesh.
The encounter followed the detection of heavily armed terrorists near a stream in the forested area. A fierce gunfight ensued, during which Subedar Kuldeep Chand sustained fatal injuries. Reinforcements were deployed, and a search operation was conducted.
This incident marks heightened tension in the region, following a previous IED attack in the same area on February 11, which resulted in the deaths of two Army personnel, including a captain.
The incident occurs despite recent brigade commander-level flag meetings between India and Pakistan aimed at de-escalating border tensions and addressing cross-border terror activities and ceasefire violations. Prior to this, on April 5, the Border Security Force (BSF) neutralized a Pakistani intruder along the International Border in the R.S. Pura sector.
