Ahead of the beginning of the long tourist season in Kashmir Valley, an intense encounter broke out between a group of heavily armed terrorists and the joint team of security forces near Krumbhoora area of Zachaldara in the North Kashmir district of Kupwara early Monday morning. So far one terrorist has been gunned down by the security forces in the heavy exchange of fire.

According to initial reports, a group of two to three terrorists were hiding in the area at the time of the launch of combing and search operations.

As security personnel closed in, the terrorists opened fire, leading to a heavy exchange of gunfire in which one terrorist was neutralised. One police personnel also received injuries during the operation.

In Srinagar, the entire security grid is already maintaining a tight vigil in the run up to the beginning of the peak tourist season in the valley.

The Union Territory administration is also anticipating a heavy rush of tourists after March 20 as Asia’s largest tulip garden, housing a flower carpet of 17 lakh tulips of 74 varieties with different colours and fragrances, is likely to be thrown open to visitors. According to Jammu and Kashmir police the anti-terrorist operation was launched based on inputs about the presence of terrorists in the area.

The entry and exit points of the general area have been cordoned off to prevent the terrorists from fleeing the area. Additional troops have been deployed to avoid any collateral damage. Since the operation was going on in the built-up area the security forces advised civilians against venturing out to prevent any injury during cross-firing. Srinagar based Chinar Corps in a post on X said, “On 17 Mar 25, based on specific intelligence input regarding the presence of terrorists, a Joint Operation was launched by Jammu and Kashmir police and the Indian army in the general area of Khurmur forest, Handwara, Kupwara.

Suspicious activity was observed by vigilant troops and on being challenged, terrorists opened indiscriminate fire. Own troops effectively retaliated, resulting in neutralisation of one terrorist along with the recovery of one AK Rifle. Operation is in progress”.

This is the third major incident of terrorist violence in the valley since the beginning of this year.

In the first week of February 2025, a retired Territorial Army soldier, identified as Manzoor Ahmad Wagay, was killed in cold blood by unidentified terrorists inside his home in the Behibagh area of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

The wife of an ex-serviceman and another close relative, present inside the home, also received bullet injuries in the targeted strike, the first so far in 2025.

On January 20, 2025, a soldier of the Indian army Swr Pangala Kartheek laid down his life during a fierce gunfight with a group of hiding terrorists in the Gujjarpati area of Sopore in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Meanwhile, security forces on Monday averted a tragedy with the timely detection of an improvised explosive device (IED) in the Kulgam district.

Official sources said a patrol party noticed a suspicious object on the Shopian-Anantnag road at Qaimoh in Kulgam district which turned out to be an IED.

A bomb disposal squad was rushed to the spot which defused the IED on the spot without causing any damage, the officials said.