Security forces in Kathua district resumed search operations on Thursday to track down terrorists hiding in the forest belt after a brief encounter on Wednesday evening, officials said.
According to sources, at least one security force personnel was injured during the operation, while the hunt for the terrorists continues in the forest area.
Security forces, along with the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the J&K Police, launched a cordon-and-search operation at Kahog village in Billawar area on Wednesday evening, which quickly turned into a fierce encounter, officials said.
IGP Jammu Zone Bhim Sen Tuti said in a post on X, “Despite darkness, thick vegetation, and treacherous terrain, the SOG is relentlessly engaging the terrorists. Teams of the CRPF are also participating in the joint operation.”
The firefight broke out at Kahog village as the searching forces closed in on a suspected location where two to three terrorists were believed to be hiding, officials said.
During the exchange of fire, one security personnel suffered a minor bullet injury to his leg. He was quickly rushed to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
In a separate post on X, the IGP informed, “The SOG has engaged the terrorists in the forest area of Kamadnallah, Kathua.”
The firefight lasted for more than an hour before a night-long lull. It is not yet known whether any terrorist was injured in the gunfight. It is believed that at a group of least two to three terrorists are active in the region.
The Army, BSF, police, and CRPF have been continuously conducting search operations, identifying suspicious individuals, and intensifying patrols along the International Border in Samba and Kathua districts, and the adjoining areas of Punjab, for the past month, officials said.
A multi-tier security grid comprising the BSF, police, and Village Defence Guards (VDGs) has been put on alert ahead of Republic Day on January 26.
Kathua district remains one of the most security-sensitive regions in Jammu and Kashmir. The district has also witnessed several encounters in the past two years, resulting in the deaths of nearly 16 people, including 11 security personnel and five terrorists.
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