Jammu, 28 June

The search operation to track down three Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists in a forested area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur entered its third day on Saturday amid heightened aerial surveillance, officials said.

A Pakistan-based JeM terrorist was killed in an encounter with security forces on Thursday, while three of his associates remain trapped in the forested area of the Basantgarh belt.

Amid strengthening of the multi-tier cordon, the search operation, widened by the joint operation group, resumed this morning with the backing of drones and sniffer dogs, they said.

The cordon has been further strengthened with additional reinforcements to eliminate the remaining terrorists of the group, the officials added.

Inspector General of Police Bhim Sen Tuti said the terrorists are reported to be still within the cordoned off area.

He said that out of the four terrorists, one -- the commander of the group -- has been killed.

The group had been tracked for over a year. Two terrorists affiliated with JeM from this group were eliminated in Basantgarh in September last year.

On Thursday, the four terrorists were found hiding near Karoor Nallah in the Bihali high-altitude belt and were engaged by the joint search party led by the Army’s Para Commandos, resulting in an encounter.

One of the terrorists killed in the encounter has been identified as Haider alias Jabbar, code-named Maulvi, from Pakistan.

Supported by overground workers (OGWs), the terrorists had been moving from one area to another using forests and natural caves to hide, officials said. Five OGWs have been arrested over the past several months in the belt for providing food and shelter to the terrorists.

It is also believed that a local terrorist, who had returned from Pakistan after several years, is actively supporting the group.

The search by troops led to the recovery of the body of the killed terrorist along with ammunition, explosive material, and cash, the officials said.

Basantgarh lies on a traditional infiltration route used by Pakistani terrorists who enter from the International Border in Kathua and move via the higher reaches to Doda and Kishtwar districts in Jammu region and further into the Kashmir Valley. It has witnessed several encounters and terror incidents in the past.

On 25 April, Havaldar Jhantu Ali Shaikh of the Army’s 6 PARA was killed in an encounter with terrorists in the Basantgarh area.

On 9 April, an encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in the Jopher-Marta belt of Basantgarh in Udhampur district.

On 11 September last year, two terrorists affiliated with JeM were killed in an encounter in the upper reaches of Basantgarh.

A CRPF inspector was killed in another encounter with terrorists at Dudu on 19 August, 2024.

On 11 July, 2024, the Sang police post in Udhampur’s Basantgarh came under attack by terrorists but was foiled by alert cops.

On 28 April, 2024, a Village Defence Guard, Mohammad Sharief, was killed in an encounter with terrorists in Basantgarh.