J&K: Three Policemen Killed, Two Terrorists Eliminated in Kathua

A fierce gunfight between security forces and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district on Thursday resulted in the deaths of three police personnel, while two others sustained injuries. The encounter, part of an ongoing large-scale anti-terror operation now in its fourth day, also saw two terrorists being neutralized, officials confirmed.

According to sources, a group of four to five terrorists had been hiding in the densely forested area of Juthana. Security personnel successfully traced their location, leading to a violent exchange of fire near Jakhole village, approximately 30 km from Hiranagar sector. The Hiranagar sector was also the site of an earlier gun battle on Sunday (March 23).

As the situation escalated, reinforcements were rushed to the encounter site. The Army's special forces, along with police, NSG, BSF, and CRPF, were actively engaged in the counter-terrorism operation. Jammu and Kashmir DGP Nalin Prabhat personally arrived at the scene to oversee the high-intensity operation.

Officials suspect that the terrorists involved in Thursday’s gunfight were part of the same group that managed to escape after Sunday's encounter in Hiranagar. That operation was initiated by the Special Operations Group (SOG) following intelligence inputs regarding terrorist presence inside a ‘dhok’—a small enclosure—within a nursery at Sanyal village, near the International Border with Pakistan. The encounter on Sunday lasted over 30 minutes before the terrorists fled, triggering an extensive search operation.

Since March 22, security forces have been conducting combing operations across the region using advanced surveillance technology, including UAVs, drones, and bulletproof vehicles. The joint forces remain on high alert as the search for any remaining terrorists continues.

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