Daijiworld Media Network - Kathua

Kathua, Mar 24: A fierce gun battle erupted between security forces and terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir’s Kathua on Sunday evening, sparking panic in the region. A search operation is underway after reports of 3-5 terrorists being spotted near the international border.

Amid the tension, 48-year-old Anita Devi narrowly escaped after heavily armed terrorists held her husband at gunpoint inside a nursery. “They asked me to come near, but my husband signaled me to run. As I did, one of them tried to stop me, but I shouted for help,” she recounted.

District Development Councillor Karan Kumar said nearly 250 rounds of intense gunfire were exchanged. “The village is gripped with fear,” he added.

The encounter began when a Special Operations Group (SOG) team, acting on intelligence, launched a search operation in Sanyal village, about 5 km from the Pakistan border. Security forces came under heavy fire, triggering a fierce exchange.

Reinforcements have been deployed, and a massive manhunt is on to track down the infiltrators, who are suspected to have entered through a ravine or a newly dug tunnel.