Terror Encounter Breaks Out in J&K’s Kathua, Security Forces Trap Terrorists

India

oi-Gaurav Sharma

An
exchange
of
fire
broke
out
between
security
forces
and
suspected
terrorists
in
a
remote
part
of
Jammu
and
Kashmir’s
Kathua
district
on
Wednesday
evening,
officials
said.
The
encounter
began
in
Kahog
village
of
the
Billawar
area
after
security
agencies
launched
a
cordon-and-search
operation
following
specific
intelligence
inputs
about
the
presence
of
militants.

According
to
officials,
two
to
three
terrorists
are
believed
to
be
hiding
in
the
forested
stretch
near
Kamadh
Nullah
and
have
been
surrounded
by
the
forces.
The
gunfight
started
after
a
Special
Operations
Group
(SOG)
team
came
in
contact
with
the
militants
during
the
search.

Inspector
General
of
Police
(Jammu
zone)
Bhim
Sen
Tuti
confirmed
the
development
in
a
post
on
X,
saying
that
SOG
Kathua
had
engaged
terrorists
in
the
forest
area
of
Kamadh
Nullah.
He
added
that
despite
challenging
conditions
such
as
darkness,
dense
vegetation
and
difficult
terrain,
the
forces
continued
the
operation,
with
teams
of
the
Central
Reserve
Police
Force
(CRPF)
also
joining
the
joint
effort.

Earlier
in
the
day,
local
residents
reported
spotting
a
suspicious
individual
in
the
Kamadh
Nullah
area
under
the
Billawar
police
station
limits.
Officials
said
the
person
could
be
the
same
militant
who
was
seen
in
Dhannu
Parole
earlier,
prompting
heightened
security
and
search
operations
across
the
region.
Additional
reinforcements
have
since
been
rushed
to
the
spot
to
prevent
any
escape.

The
encounter
is
being
described
as
the
first
major
counter-terror
operation
of
2026
in
the
region.
Senior
officers,
including
the
Inspector
General
of
Police,
Jammu,
and
Kathua
Senior
Superintendent
of
Police
Mohita
Sharma,
are
personally
monitoring
the
situation.

Firing
was
continuing
from
both
sides
at
the
time
of
the
last
update,
and
the
operation
remains
underway.
Authorities
said
the
situation
is
under
close
watch
and
further
details
will
be
shared
as
the
operation
progresses.