A large-scale search operation targeting a group of infiltrating terrorists in the dense jungles of Kathua district, Jammu region, continued into its second day on Monday, according to official sources.
The effort, spearheaded by Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, ramped up this morning with the deployment of additional commandos, drones, and sniffer dogs as security forces scoured a nursery area in Sanyal village where the terrorists are suspected to be hiding.
The operation was triggered by intelligence reports indicating the presence of terrorists within a ‘dhok’—a local term for an enclosure—located in the nursery, roughly five kilometers from the International Border with Pakistan.
On Sunday, a team from the Special Operations Group of the police launched the initial search, only to be met with heavy gunfire from the terrorists. The ensuing gunfight lasted over 30 minutes, prompting the rapid deployment of reinforcements to track down the infiltrators, believed to have crossed the border on Saturday through either a ravine route or a newly dug tunnel.
No casualties were reported during the initial exchange of fire. The area remained under a strict security cordon overnight, with forces advancing from multiple directions at dawn on Monday. As of now, officials report no further contact with the terrorists.
Intelligence suggests that two groups, each comprising five to six terrorists, may have infiltrated on Saturday. Local accounts corroborate this, with villagers reporting sightings of suspicious individuals. Women collecting firewood in the nursery area spotted around five armed men, one of whom briefly held a villager at gunpoint.
Anita Devi, a 48-year-old resident, recounted a harrowing encounter: “They grabbed my husband and ordered me to approach, but he signaled me to flee. I ran, shouting for help, and they couldn’t stop me.” She described the terrorists as bearded, clad in commando-style uniforms, numbering five in total. The incident, which occurred around 4:30 pm on Sunday, was promptly reported to the police.
A seven-year-old girl sustained minor injuries from a stray bullet during the chaos and was rushed to a local hospital. Meanwhile, District Development Councillor Karan Kumar reported hearing approximately 250 rounds of gunfire, underscoring the intensity of the clash. “The village is gripped by fear,” Kumar said, noting that security forces have fully encircled the area to neutralize the threat.
Kathua has increasingly become a key infiltration route for Pakistan-based terrorists aiming to penetrate deeper into Udhampur, Doda, Kishtwar, and even Kashmir. Over the past year, this trend has been evident through a spate of terror incidents. While the Pir Panjal districts of Rajouri and Poonch—long hotspots for such activities—saw a decline in attacks in 2024, violence surged in six other Jammu districts, including Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Kathua, Udhampur, and Jammu, from April-May onward.
Official figures for 2024 record 44 deaths across the region, comprising 18 security personnel, 13 terrorists, and 13 civilians, with Doda, Kathua, and Reasi each reporting nine fatalities.
Security agencies have responded with sustained operations to curb the spread of terrorism into previously peaceful areas, countering efforts by Pakistan-based handlers. Earlier this year, Kathua also faced unrest following the mysterious deaths of five individuals in Billawar tehsil. On March 8, the bodies of 15-year-old Varun Singh and his uncles, Yogesh Singh (32) and Darshan Singh (40), were discovered in Ishu nullah, Malhar, days after they vanished during a wedding. In February, Shamsher (37) and Roshan (45) were found dead in Kohag village, with autopsies confirming strangulation.
As the Kathua operation unfolds, authorities remain vigilant, determined to root out the terrorist presence amid growing concerns over regional security.