Encounter underway in J&K’s Kathua, three Jaish terrorists likely trapped

The Indian Army’s Rising Star Corps, along with the Jammu and Kashmir police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), launched a search and destroy operation in Kathua’s Panjtirthi area on Tuesday morning after receiving intelligence inputs about possible ‘terrorist’ movement in the region.

This comes days after two terrorists and four policemen were killed in a gunfight in Kathua, while several others, including a deputy superintendent of police, were injured.

Suspicious movement in the Panjtirthi area on Monday night led to exchange of fire between police and terrorists, following which a search and destroy operation was launched first thing on Tuesday morning, Rising Star Corps of Indian Army said in a post on X.

The operations were underway at the time of writing this report.

It is suspected that three Jaish terrorists are trapped near the Panjtirthi temple in Kathua’s Billawar area.

Earlier on Monday, Deputy Inspector General Shiv Kumar Sharma had said that the operation will continue till the last terrorist is neutralised, urging people living near the border to report any suspicious activity.

Speaking to reporters in Reasi, Sharma said, “The operation is ongoing, and as long as there is even one terrorist left, the Jammu and Kashmir Police will persevere in its mission. Our force is dedicated to eradicating terrorism and ensuring the safety of Jammu and Kashmir.”

He also expressed grief about the loss of one jawan in the Kathua encounter and said that the force was “sad”. However, Sharma pressed on that the training received by the soldiers is very good, adding that their morale is very high.

Security forces also intensified their search for the three operatives, using aerial surveillance and sniffer dogs.

Meanwhile, officials said that six people were detained after fresh reports of suspected movement involving three individuals believed to be terrorists who had escaped an encounter in Kathua.

DIG Sharma also visited the soldier’s family and saluted the fallen soldiers, “These brave personnel sacrificed their lives to create a secure environment in Jammu and Kashmir. The Jammu and Kashmir Police will never step back from its duty.”

He also highlighted the morale of the forces and said, “Like their families, we too feel the loss of our brave jawans. We provide excellent training and our personnel fight with determination on the ground. Our morale is high and we are prepared to face every challenge,” adding that the forces will continue to fight for the safety of people and will never back down.