On April 30, 2018, Major Shukla killed the category A++ militant of Hizbul Mujahideen, Sameer Tiger in a joint operation by Jammu and Kashmir Police, Indian Army and Central Reserve Police Force. A day before his encounter, Tiger threatened Indian Army, specifically Major Shukla in a viral video.[7] Shukla was seriously injured with a bullet wound on his chest during the encounter and was undergoing treatment as of May 2018.[8][9][10][11]
Major Rohit Shukla has commanded more than 52 operations carried out by the Indian Army against terrorists.[12]
Following the incident a rifleman, named Aurangzeb, who served with Shukla, was kidnapped, tortured, and killed, by terrorists.[13][14] They subsequently released gruesome video from his torture, on Twitter. In Shukla's unit every soldier was paired with a partner, or buddy, with each member of the pair watching out for the other. Aurangzeb had been paired with Shukla on the mission where he killed Tiger, and this was the reason he was singled out for retaliation. According to the India Times their video specifically shows Aurangzeb being tortured into admitting he was Shukla's buddy.
India Times speculated that the release of this video might trigger India's News Broadcasting Standards Authority to step in to try to control the rebroadcasting of video and audio from opposition elements.[13] The Army had explicitly called on news agencies to refrain from rebroadcasting the video of Shukla's partner's torture and killing, and several agencies rebroadcast it anyhow.
The Army conducted an inquiry, after the video was released, as the identity of the buddies is classified, and the video suggested there had been a breach of security.[15]
On February 6, 2019, Mehbooba Mufti, a former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, criticized Shukla over his treatment of a civilian captive.[16] She told reporters she had recently visited a youth, in hospital, following interrogation by Shukla.
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Shaurya Karanbir Gurung (3 May 2019). "News channels may have to get approval for telecasting material issued by terrorist organisations". India Times. Retrieved 9 April 2020. In a video released on social-media site, Twitter, he is seen being interrogated by his captors about his closeness to Major Rohit Shukla, who had gunned down a Hizbul Mujahideen commander named Sameer Tiger in Kashmir in April last year. Aurangzeb had confirmed that he was Shukla's 'buddy' (army's buddy system in which two soldiers are paired together).
