Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
Jammu, Jun 26: An encounter broke out early Thursday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district, with four terrorists believed to be trapped in the cordoned-off Basantgarh area, police confirmed.
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu Zone, Bhim Sen Tuti said security forces made contact with the terrorists around 8:30 a.m., though bad weather has made the situation difficult. “As per our assessment, a group of four terrorists is holed up. The situation will become clear once the weather improves,” he told reporters.
The gunfight began after reports of suspicious movement in the Bihali area led security forces to launch a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO). The troops came under heavy automatic gunfire, prompting a fierce exchange. Additional reinforcements have been rushed to the site.
The encounter follows the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, in which 26 civilians, including a Nepali national, were killed by Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists in the Baisaran meadow. Since then, security forces across the Union Territory have been on high alert.
Preparations are also underway for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, scheduled to begin on July 3 and end on August 9, coinciding with Shravan Purnima. The pilgrimage to the cave shrine—located at an altitude of 3,888 metres in the Kashmir Himalayas—attracts thousands of devotees every year.
Pilgrims travel via the traditional Pahalgam route or the shorter Baltal path. To ensure safety, additional forces from the BSF, CRPF, and SSB have been deployed. A mock security drill was conducted on Wednesday across all districts along the pilgrimage routes. Security personnel are also dominating mountain tops to block terrorist infiltration into interior regions.
Besides the main Baltal and Nunwan base camps, several transit camps have been established. Officials view this year’s Yatra as a major test, especially following recent hostilities between India and Pakistan and India's targeted airstrikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK.
Security forces are committed to ensuring the peaceful conduct of the Yatra despite ongoing threats.