Jammu, January 20, 2026 : A massive counter-terror search operation entered its third day on Tuesday in the upper reaches of Kishtwar district as security forces intensified efforts to hunt down terrorists hiding in the dense forest areas. Several individuals have been detained for questioning in connection with the operation, officials said.
The operation was launched on Sunday in Sonnar village near Mandral–Singhpora in the Chatroo belt, following intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists. It led to a fierce gunfight in which one Special Forces paratrooper, Havildar Gajendra Singh, was martyred, while seven others sustained injuries, mostly splinter wounds caused by a sudden grenade attack by the hiding terrorists.
Although the terrorists managed to escape deeper into the forest, security forces busted a well-fortified hideout stocked with a large quantity of winter supplies, including food items, pulses, blankets and utensils—sufficient to sustain at least four terrorists during the harsh winter months. The hideout was located at an altitude of over 12,000 feet.
Senior officers, including Inspector General of Police (Jammu Zone) Bhim Sen Tuti and IG CRPF Jammu R. Gopala Krishna Rao, reached the encounter site and are camping in the area along with senior Army officers to closely supervise the ongoing operation.
Meanwhile, a solemn wreath-laying ceremony was held at Satwari, Jammu, on Tuesday morning to pay tributes to the martyred soldier. The ceremony was led by Brigadier Yudhvir Singh Sekhon, Officiating Chief of Staff, White Knight Corps. The mortal remains of Havildar Gajendra Singh were later dispatched to his hometown in Uttarakhand for last rites. Senior civil and police officials, including DIG Jammu-Kathua-Samba Range Shiv Kumar Sharma and Deputy Commissioner Jammu Rakesh Minhas, also attended the ceremony.
Officials said several persons were taken in for questioning on Monday as security agencies attempt to identify overground workers (OGWs) who allegedly helped terrorists procure and transport large quantities of supplies to the hideout.
In a post on X, the Army’s White Knight Corps said that Operation TRASHI-I continues with the cordon further tightened and search operations expanded.
“Troops of the Corps, along with Police and CRPF, remain deployed to dominate the area,” the Army said.
Multiple teams of the Army, J&K Police and paramilitary forces, supported by drones and sniffer dogs, are combing the difficult terrain despite dense vegetation, steep slopes and limited visibility.
Officials believe a group of two to three terrorists, allegedly affiliated with Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), is trapped in the area. Security operations across the Jammu region have been intensified ahead of Republic Day, amid intelligence inputs about renewed attempts by Pakistan-based handlers to push terrorists into the region.
