Jammu, February 1, 2026 : Security forces on Sunday intensified their cordon-and-search operation in the snowbound areas of Kishtwar district to track and neutralise three Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists believed to be hiding in the region following a brief encounter.
Officials said the operation was resumed at first light after a night-long cordon. “The search operation is underway. Terrorists are on the run and are frequently changing hideouts. Efforts are being made to hunt them down,” a senior official said.
Security has been tightened across adjoining areas, with Village Defence Guards (VDGs) placed on high alert to prevent any terrorist movement. Agencies are also monitoring overground workers (OGWs) suspected of providing food, shelter or logistical support.
The latest exchange of fire occurred early Saturday in the Dolgam area, when troops re-established contact with the terrorists. One terrorist is believed to have been injured, with drone surveillance reportedly detecting bloodstains. This marks the fourth contact in the past two weeks in the region.
The joint operation—comprising Special Forces, Rashtriya Rifles, J&K Police SOG and CRPF—is being supported by drones, helicopters and sniffer dogs in the high-altitude Chatroo–Dolgam–Dichhar belt, despite harsh weather and heavy snowfall.
As a precautionary measure, mobile internet services have been suspended since Friday within a six-kilometre radius of Singhpora, Chingam and Chatroo.
Kishtwar has witnessed six encounters in the past seven months as forces continue a sustained crackdown on Pakistan-based terrorist networks operating in the region bordering Doda and Udhampur districts.
The operation was initially launched on January 18 following a fierce gunbattle in the Sonnar forest near Mandral-Singhpora, in which a paratrooper was killed and seven soldiers were injured. Subsequent encounters took place at Mali Dana (January 22) and Janseer-Kandiwar (January 25), with terrorists repeatedly escaping into dense forests amid challenging terrain and snowfall.
On Saturday, Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Pratik Sharma visited Kishtwar to review the counter-terrorism grid and lauded troops for their resolve. His visit followed a high-level security review aimed at strengthening the counter-terrorism architecture in the Jammu region.
