Search, destroy operations in progress in Kathua

Jammu, Apr 2: “Search and destroy” operations launched jointly by the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), following inputs about suspicious movement, in the Panjtirthi area of Juthana in Kathua, continued for the second day on Wednesday.

Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat, leading from the front, joined by other senior officers of J&K Police, on Tuesday, reviewed the ongoing combing operations in Panjtirthi, covering treacherous distances to be with the troops engaged to hunt down terrorists, presumably three, who managed to escape after fresh contact on March 31.

The “search and destroy” operations were launched on April 1 morning after a fresh fierce exchange of fire between the security forces and terrorists on the run, took place on Monday night.

Fresh contact was established during multiple surveillance-cum-ambushes deployed by the security forces on intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists in the Panjtirthi area, on the way to Billawar.

These terrorists are believed to be part of the same group involved in the Sufain encounter in the Ghati area of Rajbagh.

The Police had also called half a dozen persons including women belonging to the family of an Over Ground Worker (OGW) for interrogation in this regard.

Two terrorists were neutralised in the encounter in Sufain, however, four J&K Police personnel also lost their lives in the fierce gunfight.

On March 30, a family in Rui village, several kilometres away from Sufain, had reported that the terrorists had forcibly taken away food from them during the night.

Following this input, surveillance was further intensified and multiple ambushes besides night cordon were deployed by the security forces all around the stretch.

The DGP has been regularly monitoring the operations by multiple units right from day one - March 23.

Senior officers of the Army and CRPF have been working in perfect synergy with the J&K Police in the relentless anti-terrorist operations launched since March 23, when a group of five terrorists was first sighted by a couple in Sanyal village.

“The DGP along with Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jammu Bhim Sen Tuti and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Jammu-Samba-Kathua (JSK) Range Shiv Kumar Sharma on Tuesday walked through the riverine and treacherous hilly track to be with the men engaged in combing operation,” officials said.

The DGP has reiterated that the security forces would not relent till all the terrorists are neutralised.

The border residents have been asked to report immediately any suspicious activity to the Police for swift response.

However, after March 31, no contact has been established so far.

“Unrelenting search and destroy operations are in progress,” PRO Defence Jammu Lt Col Suneel Bartwal told Greater Kashmir when queried about the latest update on an ongoing search operation in Kathua.

Earlier, the Rising Star Corps of the Indian Army had posted on ‘X’, “Acting on intelligence inputs, multiple surveillance-cum-ambushes were deployed in general area Panjtirthi, #Kathua by Indian Army, @JmuKmrPolice and CRPF. Suspicious movement was observed on the night of 31 March, leading to an exchange of fire. Search and destroy operations launched at first light on April 1, 2025 operations in progress.”