A significant security operation has been initiated in the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir following reports of suspicious movement in the region. The operation was launched on Monday, June 2, 2025, after a civilian reported spotting three suspicious individuals near a forested area in the Saladhi area of Hiranagar.
Security forces have intensified highway surveillance and area patrols. A joint operation team is engaged in the search, and vigilance has been heightened in the area and along the highway.
The search operation involves a multi-pronged approach, with teams from the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, Special Operations Group (SOG), National Security Guard (NSG), and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) combing the area. Aerial surveillance, including the use of helicopters, UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), and sniffer dogs, is being employed to aid in tracking down any potential threats. Additional troops have been deployed to strengthen the cordon and set up ambushes over a 6-7 km radius in the region. The operation area has been expanded to include Billawar, Bhaddu, Ghatti, and Kog-Mandli.
Security agencies are also focusing on dismantling the overground network supporting terrorists by cracking down on Over Ground Workers (OGWs) to cut off the supply of food, shelter, and guidance in the hills. Authorities have questioned over 27 individuals for gathering information about the movements of suspected individuals.
Similar search operations have been conducted in the past in response to suspicious activities. For instance, a search operation was launched in Kathua after a woman claimed to have seen four suspicious men. Search and combing operations were also underway in Pulwama and Baramulla. These operations are part of ongoing efforts to curb unlawful activities and dismantle the terror ecosystem. In one instance, Baramulla Police conducted a search operation at a residence in Pattan, leading to the recovery of incriminating material linked to the banned Jammu and Kashmir National Front (JKNF).
These security measures come in the wake of recent terror attacks in the region. In April 2025, terrorists attacked holidaymakers in Pahalgam, resulting in the deaths of 26 people, mostly tourists. The Resistance Front (TRF), a terrorist group linked to Pakistani terrorist Hafiz Saeed's Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the attack. Following the attack, security forces were deployed across sensitive regions, including Rajouri and Poonch, and the border force strengthened its presence in Jammu, Samba, and Kathua.
