Security forces have launched a large-scale search operation in the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir after reports of suspected terrorist activity. The operation began on Monday, September 22, 2025, after two suspected terrorists were seen in Dragal village, which is part of the Malhar area of Kathua.

The joint operation includes the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Indian Army, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The forces are conducting a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) to locate and neutralize the suspected terrorists. As part of the operation, the forces are using sniffer dogs and surveillance equipment, including drones, to comb the forest area in Malhar. Searches are also being conducted in villages near Dragal, and all exit points have been sealed.

Authorities have advised locals to stay indoors and report any suspicious movement to the joint forces, emphasizing that the safety of civilians is the top priority. Security personnel have been seen in large numbers in the area since Monday morning, and forces are fanning out into the dense forest belts. Special teams and surveillance units have also been deployed.

The Kathua sector has been under heightened vigilance in recent months due to reports of infiltration attempts across the International Border and the Line of Control. Security officials are working to ensure that militants cannot find shelter or escape routes in the region’s terrain.

Security forces are also carrying out operations against terrorists, their overground workers, and sympathizers across the Union Territory. Intelligence agencies believe that funds generated from drug smuggling and hawala money rackets are being used to support terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. The revised strategy of the joint forces is to dismantle the entire ecosystem of terror, rather than just eliminating terrorists.