UDHAMPUR: An encounter broke out on Thursday between security forces and terrorists in the Kuru area of Basantgarh in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district, just days before the Amarnath Yatra is set to begin on July 3.
The encounter, codenamed Operation Bihali, is currently underway and involves joint action by the Indian Army and Jammu & Kashmir Police. Officials confirmed that four Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists, who had been under surveillance for a year, are believed to be trapped in the forested region.
“Op BIHALI. Based on specific intelligence, a joint operation was launched by #IndianArmy and @JmuKmrPolice in the Bihali area of #Basantgarh. Contact has been established with #terrorists. The #operation is currently in progress,”
posted the White Knight Corps on X.
According to IGP Jammu Zone Bhim Sen Tuti,
“The encounter started early in the morning, and the operation is going on.”
Despite inclement weather, security forces have rushed in reinforcements and launched a massive search operation to eliminate the threat.
Heightened Vigil Ahead of Amarnath Yatra
The clash comes a week before the annual Amarnath pilgrimage, when thousands of devotees are expected to visit the Amarnath cave shrine in Kashmir. The yatra will run from July 3 to August 9, and security measures have been intensified across the region.
On Wednesday, a mock drill was conducted by security forces at the Baltal base camp in Ganderbal, under the supervision of the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Ganderbal, to test preparedness for any emergency during the pilgrimage.
Aftermath of Pahalgam Attack and Operation Sindoor
This latest gunfight also comes in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack in April, where 26 civilians were killed, marking one of the deadliest attacks on tourists in recent times.
It follows Operation Sindoor, launched by India on May 7, in which nine terror hubs in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan’s Punjab province were targeted. Over 100 terrorists were neutralized in that operation.
Security remains on high alert across Jammu and Kashmir as forces push forward with Operation Bihali to eliminate the trapped terrorists and secure the region ahead of the Amarnath Yatra.