Jaish Terrorist Killed in Udhampur, Three Others Trapped in Forest; Operation Ongoing

A terrorist linked to the Pakistan-based group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) was killed on Thursday during a joint operation by security forces in Udhampur district, Jammu and Kashmir. Three other militants are still believed to be hiding in the dense Bihali forest area of Basantgarh.

The encounter began early in the morning after the Indian Army and J-&K Police acted on intelligence about terrorists operating in the region. Officials said the group had been under surveillance for nearly a year.

“A terrorist has been neutralized in the ongoing joint operation by the Army and Police. The operation is still underway,” said a defense spokesperson.

Despite challenging weather and heavy fog, security forces, including para commandos, have stepped up efforts to track down the remaining militants near Karoor nullah.

This encounter comes just a week before the annual Amarnath Yatra, raising security concerns across the region. Bhim Sen Tuti, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu range, said contact was made with the terrorists around 8:30 am. “There are four terrorists. We’ve been tracking this group for the last year,” he added, noting more details will emerge as visibility improves.

Earlier, the Army’s White Knight Corps shared on X that the operation was launched based on specific intelligence and is still ongoing in the Bihali area of Basantgarh.

In a separate operation late Wednesday night, security forces conducted a search in the Purmandal area of Samba district after reports of suspicious activity. No threat was found, and the operation ended without incident.