The joint anti-terror operation in the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir has entered its third day, with security forces intensifying their search in the Kuchal-Chatroo forested area. The operation was initiated on Wednesday following intelligence inputs regarding the movement of terrorists in the Kanzal Mandu area. It is believed that two to three Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists are trapped within the cordon.

The operation began after an encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists on Wednesday evening in the dense Kanzal Mandu forest area of the Kuchal-Chatroo belt. The encounter started when the police, along with the Army and CRPF, launched a cordon and search operation in Kuchal around 7:45 pm, acting on intelligence about the presence of terrorists in the area. The terrorists fired upon noticing the search parties, leading to a gunfight.

Additional troops have been deployed to reinforce the cordon and prevent the terrorists from escaping. Helicopters, drones, and sniffer dogs are being utilized in the operation to locate the hiding terrorists within the Chatroo forest region. Security forces are braving inclement weather and difficult terrain to track down the terrorists. Officials have strengthened the cordon to prevent the terrorists from slipping through.

This operation is the second encounter in the Jammu region within a week. On June 26, a JeM terrorist was killed in an encounter with security forces in the Basantgarh belt of Udhampur district, while three of his associates managed to escape into the forests.

Security has been heightened in Jammu and Kashmir with the commencement of the annual Amarnath Yatra. The pilgrim route has been declared a no-fly zone, and approximately 600 additional companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed in the region. On Friday, a new batch of over 6,400 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu to join the Yatra.