 "Army soldiers near the house where militants were hiding during an encounter in Ratnipora area of Pulwama district of south Kashmir, Tuesday, Feb 12, 2019. (Representative Photo, Credit: PTI)")
Four Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists, who had been under surveillance for nearly a year, have been cornered by security forces in a dense forest in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district, officials said on Thursday.
The encounter is underway in challenging weather conditions, with heavy rain and fog hampering visibility.
The Army’s White Knight Corps said that “Operation Bihali” is in progress. “Based on specific intelligence, a joint operation was launched by the Indian Army and J&K Police in the Bihali area of Basantgarh. Contact has been established with the terrorists. The operation is ongoing,” the Corps said in a post on X.
The crackdown comes ahead of the Amarnath Yatra and follows heightened security operations across the Union Territory after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. In that attack, Pakistan-backed terrorists opened fire at a meadow, killing 25 tourists and one local resident.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jammu Zone, Bhim Sen Tuti, said, “The encounter began early in the morning and the operation is still underway.”
The latest face-off with terrorists comes just days before the annual Amarnath pilgrimage begins on July 3. Thousands of pilgrims are expected to visit the holy cave shrine in the coming weeks, with the yatra set to conclude on August 9.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsIn preparation for the pilgrimage, security forces conducted a joint mock drill at the Baltal base camp in Ganderbal district on Wednesday, aimed at ensuring readiness for any potential threats.