With the annual Amarnath Yatra set to commence on July 3, security forces in Jammu and Kashmir are on high alert, intensifying search operations in the Bihali area of Basantgarh, Udhampur district, to neutralise a group of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists.
One highly trained JeM terrorist, identified as Haider, alias Maulvi, from Pakistan, was killed in a fierce encounter with security forces on Thursday, while three of his associates remain trapped in the dense, forested terrain of the Basantgarh belt.
The dead body of the terrorist could not be retrieved from the encounter site on Thursday due to adverse weather conditions in the upper reaches.
Despite challenging weather conditions, including incessant rain and dense fog, which temporarily halted the operation late Thursday evening, the search operations resumed on Friday morning.
Security forces have deployed advanced drones, sniffer dogs, and additional reinforcements to tighten the cordon and eliminate the remaining three terrorists, who are believed to be heavily armed and trained in jungle warfare.
The operation was launched based on specific intelligence inputs and involved a joint team of the Indian Army, led by elite Para Commandos, and the Jammu and Kashmir Police.
The encounter began early Thursday morning around 8:30 AM when the security forces tracked down a group of four JeM terrorists hiding near Karoor Nallah in the remote Bihali area. A heavy exchange of fire ensued, resulting in the neutralization of Haider, a key operative of the Pakistan-backed terror outfit.
Jammu Range Inspector General of Police (IGP) Bhim Sen Tuti confirmed that the group had been under surveillance for nearly a year, highlighting the meticulous intelligence-gathering efforts that led to the operation. “Contact was established with the terrorists around 8:30 AM on Thursday. They are believed to be four in number, and we have been tracking this group for the last one year,” Tuti told reporters. He emphasized that the operation continues despite adverse weather, with reinforcements deployed to ensure the remaining terrorists are neutralized.
The region’s rugged terrain, intersected by rivers, streams, and dense forests, provides natural cover for terrorists attempting to move through high-altitude routes to Doda, Kishtwar, and the Kashmir Valley.
The area has witnessed multiple encounters over the past year, including a significant operation on September 11, 2024, where two JeM terrorists were killed. On April 24, Havaldar Jhantu Ali Shaikh of the Army’s 6 PARA was killed in an encounter with terrorists in the Basantgarh area.
On April 9, an encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in the Jopher-Marta belt of Basantgarh in Udhampur district.
Security forces claimed that the group of JeM terrorists was supported by local overground workers (OGWs), and it is for the same reason they were able to sustain themselves during the last year, hiding inside natural caves.