Terrorist killed in joint operation in J&K's Kishtwar district

The terrorist was killed in the joint operation by the army and the other security forces launched on April 9 in the Chatroo area of Kishtwar.

"The operation was based on specific intelligence inputs, which led to a firefight with terrorists, resulting in one terrorist neutralised. The search operation, conducted by the Army and police, aimed to flush out terrorists hiding in the dense forests, continues," an official said.

Another operation is going on in the Joffar forest area in the jurisdiction of Ramnagar police station in Udhampur district.

A CASO (Cordon and search operation) by the joint forces was started on April 9, and three terrorists are reportedly trapped inside the cordoned off area.

Civilian Rachpal told security forces that three terrorists dressed in black, heavily armed, entered his house around 8.30 p.m. on April 9 and left around 11.30 p.m.

Following the disclosure by the civilian, security forces tightened the cordon, and after reinforcements were called in, the joint forces were closing in on the hiding terrorists, as per the last reports.

On March 3, a police team immediately reached Sanyal village in the Hiranagar area of Kathua district, where five terrorists were spotted.

Since Sanyal village is barely 4 km away from the international border, the group of terrorists spotted in Sanyal village are believed to have recently infiltrated into the Indian side.

The terrorists managed to escape from Sanyal to the Safiyun Jakhole area. The police team engaged the terrorists in a sustained gunfight, killing two terrorists.

Four policemen were martyred in that gunfight. To trace the remaining three terrorists, joint forces started a 'seek & destroy' operation, which was extended to higher reaches of Kathua and Rajouri districts.

A brief exchange of gunfire took place between the terrorists and the joint forces in the Billawar area of Kathua district.

On April 8, Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level security review meeting in Srinagar. The meeting was attended by the J&K Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha, the Union Home Secretary, the IB chief, the army chief, the army's Northern Commander, GOCs of all the corps in J&K, chiefs of paramilitary forces, the J&K DGP and heads of other intelligence agencies.

The Home Minister appreciated the role of the joint forces in curbing terrorism, but gave orders for the total eradication of terrorism from J&K with special focus on the Jammu division of the UT.