An encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists during a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in the Kamadh Nallah area of Kathua district late Tuesday night leading to injury of one security personnel, officials said.
A joint team of the Special Operations Group (SoG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police launched the operation following specific intelligence inputs about suspicious movement in the forested area. During the search, terrorists opened fire, triggering an exchange of gunfire.
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu Zone, Bhim Sen Tutti said SoG personnel were engaging the terrorists in the Kamadh Nallah forests despite challenging conditions, including darkness, dense vegetation, and difficult terrain. He added that teams of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were also part of the ongoing operation.
Reinforcements were rushed to the area, which has been fully cordoned off to prevent the escape of the terrorists, believed to be two to four in number. The area falls under the jurisdiction of the Billawar Police Station.
Kamadh Nallah is located near the Kog-Mandli area of Billawar tehsil, where a two-day-long encounter took place in September 2024. In that operation, a head constable of the Jammu and Kashmir Police was killed, while a Deputy Superintendent of Police and an Assistant Sub-Inspector sustained injuries. One terrorist, suspected to be affiliated with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), was also killed.
