Yogesh
Jammu, Apr 11: A terrorist was killed in an encounter with the security forces in Chhatru forest area of Kishtwar district on Friday, while another counter-terrorism operation is on in Udhampur district, officials said.
An official said, “Based on specific intelligence inputs, a joint search-and-destroy operation, codenamed Op Chhatru, was launched by the Indian Army’s White Knight Corps and Jammu and Kashmir Police on April 9, in the dense Chhatru forest, located near the Mughal Maidan passes at an altitude exceeding 8,000 feet. Contact with the terrorists was established late on April 9, leading to an intense firefight.”
“Today (April 11) one terrorist was neutralized during the ongoing engagement. The operation, conducted under challenging terrain and adverse weather conditions, underscores the relentless commitment of security forces to eliminate terrorism in the region. The identity of the slain terrorist is yet to be confirmed, though preliminary assessments suggest the individual may be a foreign national,” he added.
“Despite hostile terrain and adverse weather, relentless operations by our brave soldiers continue,” stated the White Knight Corps in an official communication.
“The operation remains active as security forces continue to comb the area for additional threats, with two more terrorists suspected to be hiding in the vicinity,” it added.
According to Shridhar Patil, Deputy Inspector General Kishtwar Doda Ramban Range, the operations in the Kishtwar region have been going on for the past three days. One terrorist was eliminated this morning.
He stated that the other terrorists in the region are trapped, and the operation will continue until they are all eliminated.
“This operation was going on for three days and is still ongoing. As we have told so far, one terrorist has been neutralised in the morning hours, and further operation is in continuation. Details of many operations cannot be shared at this time. Right now, we can tell you this much: the operation is in continuation, and some terrorists are trapped. The operation will continue until all the terrorists are eliminated”, Patil told reporters.
The officials said that a separate counter-terrorism operation is underway in the Jopher-Marta forests of Udhampur district, under the jurisdiction of Ramnagar police station. “Initiated on April 9, based on credible intelligence regarding terrorist activity, the operation has seen joint teams of the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and other security agencies establish a cordon-and-search operation (CASO) to track down a group of terrorists,” he added.
“On April 9, a civilian named Rachpal reported that three heavily armed terrorists, dressed in black, entered his residence in the Basantgarh area around 8:30 p.m., consumed food, and left by 11:30 p.m., taking a mobile phone, clothes, shoes, a bag, and an umbrella. This incident, combined with intelligence reports, confirmed the presence of two to three terrorists in the Jopher-Marta belt.”
Senior Superintendent of Police, Udhampur, Amod Ashok Nagpure, had said that contact was established with the terrorists on April 9, leading to a brief exchange of fire. The area has since been placed under a tight cordon, with night patrols, sniffer dogs, drones, and aerial surveillance deployed to prevent the terrorists’ escape.
The operation has been extended to the higher reaches of Kathua and Rajouri districts, with a brief exchange of gunfire reported in the Billawar area of Kathua.
The twin operations in Kishtwar and Udhampur reflect heightened vigilance in response to recent terrorist activities in the Jammu region.
Security forces have intensified surveillance in high-altitude areas, particularly in the Bhaderwah area of Doda district, to counter potential infiltration attempts facilitated by melting snow in the higher meadows during summer months.
The operations follow a series of encounters in the Kathua-Udhampur-Kishtwar belt over the past month, during which several terrorists and security personnel have been killed. On March 28, 2025, four police personnel died and two terrorists were killed in a fierce encounter in Kathua’s Sufain forest. (KNO)
