Jammu, Jan 7: Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist has been injured after being shot in an encounter that broke out in Kathua district of Jammu on Wednesday.
The joint operation, involving Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Indian Army, and other security agencies, was launched after movement of suspected militants was reported earlier today. Security forces engaged with terrorists in the Kahog forest area of Billawar. Officials confirmed that two to three militants were trapped inside the cordoned off area as heavy firing continued.
Senior officers, including SSP Kathua and SP Operations, reached the area to supervise the search. The operation was carried out jointly, with forces combing the dense terrain to ensure no infiltration or militant hideout remains undetected.
The Kahog area, surrounded by thick forests and hilly terrain, has long been considered sensitive due to its proximity to infiltration routes. Security forces have intensified patrolling and cordon-and-search operations, fearing that militants may be attempting to establish a base or move through the region.
This latest operation comes against the backdrop of a tragic incident last year in the same Billawar belt. In September, three civilians – Yogesh Singh, Darshan Singh, and 14-year-old Varun Singh – went missing while traveling to attend a marriage ceremony. Despite initial contact with family members, who said they had lost their way in the forest, the trio never returned. A massive search was launched by the Army and police, using drones and ground patrols. After three days, their bodies were discovered in a water body near Lohai Malhar, a remote area of Kathua. The deaths shocked the local community and highlighted the dangers of militant presence in the region.
With today’s encounter, security forces are determined to neutralise militant activity in the sensitive Kahog belt and keep infiltration routes under strict watch.–(RepublicTv)
