Daijiworld Media Network - Srinagar

Srinagar, Mar 31: A gunfight broke out between security forces and suspected terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Tuesday evening after a cordon-and-search operation was launched based on specific intelligence inputs.

According to official sources, a joint team comprising the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the Central Reserve Police Force surrounded Arhama village following information about the presence of terrorists.

As the forces tightened the cordon, the militants—believed to be two in number—opened fire, triggering an ongoing encounter. Security personnel have sealed all possible escape routes, and operations are continuing to neutralise the threat.

The development is particularly concerning as Ganderbal, located in north Kashmir, has largely remained free of active militant presence in recent years.

The district has, however, witnessed major attacks in the past. In October 2024, terrorists targeted a workers’ camp near the Sonamarg Z-Morh tunnel project in Gagangir, killing seven people, including six non-local labourers and a local doctor.

In another major incident, 25 civilians—mostly tourists—were killed in April 2025 at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam in an attack attributed to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Investigations were carried out by agencies including the National Investigation Agency.

Security forces later eliminated the attackers involved in both incidents during a joint mission named Operation Mahadev in July 2025 near Srinagar.

Authorities are closely monitoring the current situation in Ganderbal, with operations underway to ensure the safety of civilians and restore normalcy in the area.