JAMMU : A high-stakes counter-terror operation in the dense forests of Kathua district, Jammu region, entered its second day on Monday, as security forces escalated efforts to track down a group of infiltrators, officials confirmed.
The mission, spearheaded by Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, was intensified with the deployment of additional commandos, surveillance drones, and sniffer dogs. The search operation centered around a thickly wooded nursery in Sanyal village, about five kilometers from the International Border with Pakistan, where the terrorists are believed to be hiding after sneaking across the border.
The crackdown was initiated based on a tip-off about the presence of armed terrorists in a local โdhokโโa traditional shelter within the nursery. A Special Operations Group (SOG) team launched the raid, but as personnel advanced, they came under heavy gunfire, triggering a fierce gun battle that lasted over 30 minutes.
As reinforcements rushed to the scene, a large-scale manhunt was launched to track down the terrorists, suspected to have infiltrated on Saturday through either a ravine or a newly excavated tunnel. While no casualties were reported in the initial exchange of fire, security forces maintained a strict vigil overnight before resuming their search at daybreak on Monday. However, no fresh contact had been established with the terrorists as of yet, officials said.
Sources also indicated that two separate groups of five to six terrorists each may have infiltrated on Saturday. Reports emerged from local women collecting firewood, who claimed to have spotted around five armed men taking refuge within the nursery.
During the operation, a seven-year-old girl suffered minor injuries when a stray bullet grazed her arm. She was promptly taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Local representative Karan Kumar described the tense situation, stating, โThe presence of terrorists has instilled fear among villagers. We heard nearly 250 rounds of intense gunfire.โ He added that security forces had sealed off the entire region to neutralize the threat.
Kathua has increasingly become a preferred infiltration route for terrorists attempting to reach the mountainous districts of Udhampur, Doda, and Kishtwar, and further into the Kashmir Valley. Over the past year, terror-related incidents have expanded beyond Rajouri and Poonch to six other districts in the Jammu region, leading to heightened security concerns.
While Rajouri and Poonch witnessed a decline in terrorist activity in 2024, incidents in Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Kathua, Udhampur, and Jammu surged from April-May last year. Security agencies have since intensified operations to prevent Pakistan-backed terror networks from expanding their influence in relatively peaceful areas.
Official data for 2024 records 44 deaths linked to terrorism, including 18 security personnel and 13 terrorists. District-wise, Doda, Kathua, and Reasi each reported nine killings, followed by Kishtwar (five), Udhampur (four), Jammu and Rajouri (three each), and Poonch (two).
Beyond security concerns, Kathua was also rocked by protests earlier this year following the mysterious deaths of five people in Billawar tehsil.
On March 8, the bodies of 15-year-old Varun Singh, his paternal uncle Yogesh Singh (32), and maternal uncle Darshan Singh (40) were discovered in Ishu Nullah in the remote Malhar region, three days after they went missing from a wedding ceremony.
Similarly, on February 16, two more bodiesโShamsher (37) and Roshan (45)โwere found in Kohag village in Billawar. Autopsy reports confirmed that both had been strangled.
With heightened threats from both infiltration and internal security challenges, authorities remain on high alert to restore stability in the region.
