Security forces expand manhunt for terrorist in J&K’s Kathua district

Security forces on Wednesday intensified an ongoing search operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district, expanding the cordon to track down a terrorist believed to be hiding in remote forested areas, officials said.

The operation was launched on Tuesday in the Najote forest area of Billawar tehsil following intelligence inputs about the presence of a terrorist. Several gunshots were heard during the initial phase of the operation, but no direct contact was established with security personnel.

According to officials, fresh inputs later suggested that the suspect managed to slip out of the cordon under cover of darkness and difficult terrain. He is believed to have taken food from a shepherd in a nearby area around midnight before moving deeper into the forest.

In response, reinforcements have been deployed in multiple directions and more than a dozen villages surrounding Najote have been sealed off as part of an expanded search to track down the terrorist and any associates.

Separately, the Jammu and Kashmir Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) carried out a cordon and search operation in Jakhole Baira and adjoining villages in the Rajbagh area after a local resident reported suspicious movement by two individuals near his cattle shed. However, no trace of the suspects has been found so far.

Security measures have been stepped up across the Jammu region ahead of Republic Day, with particular focus on border villages and high-altitude areas to prevent terrorist activity. Officials said recent drone intrusions from across the border have emerged as a key concern, prompting the deployment of additional forces at sensitive locations.

Intensified patrolling, area domination exercises and night surveillance are being carried out to thwart any infiltration attempts or airdropping of arms and narcotics, officials added.

With PTI inputs