Srinagar, August 22
Lt-Col J.J. Joseph and two other Army jawans were killed in a fierce encounter with infiltrators in the Macchal sector in Kupwara in north Kashmir today. The Army managed to gun down five militants.
Col Joseph, commanding officer of the 45 Rashtriya Rifles, was leading the operations against suspected foreign militants.
A defence spokesman here said the encounter started this morning and the operation was in progress till the last reports came in.
Joseph even after receiving bullet wounds directed his troops. Later, he was evacuated to the Base Hospital in Srinagar where he succumbed to his injuries.
Acting on a tip-off, the Army laid siege to the forest.
Joseph is the highest ranking army official to have been killed in counter-insurgency operations in the past one year.
