Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat announced on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, that the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist killed in an encounter in the Dudu-Basantgarh forest in the Udhampur district was a top commander of the Pakistan-based outfit. The slain terrorist, identified as Haider, also known as Maulvi, was a Pakistani national and had been active in the area for the past four years.
The encounter, which took place on June 26, 2025, saw Haider being killed in a gunfight, while three of his associates managed to escape, taking advantage of inclement weather, challenging topography, and the dense forest in the Basantgarh area. The security forces had launched a search operation in the Basantgarh area based on specific intelligence inputs. Contact was established with the terrorists around 8:30 am, leading to the gunfight. Reinforcements were rushed to the spot to assist in the operation.
DGP Nalin Prabhat emphasized that anti-terror operations are ongoing and that all terrorists will be eliminated one by one. He highlighted the crucial role of public support in the success of these operations, stating that police cannot be successful without the support of the public. He lauded the Jammu police for their outstanding performance against the drug menace, bovine smuggling, and gangsters.
The DGP also visited the Akhnoor police station, where he presented the Ministry of Home Affairs’ ‘Award of Excellence’ for outstanding performance in J-K’s 2024 police station rankings. He commended the exceptional performance of the then SHO, Tariq Ahmed, SDPO, Mohan Sharma, and SP, Brijesh Sharma, for their outstanding leadership and dedication in 2024.
The killing of the top JeM commander is a significant success for the security forces and is expected to further weaken the terrorist outfit's presence in the region. The police have been tracking Haider for a year before the June 26 encounter. Security forces are continuing their search operation to find and neutralize the three JeM terrorists who escaped from the Basantgarh area.
