Security Forces Neutralise Two Terrorists In J&K Gunfight
The militants, who had taken shelter inside a cave and were detected with the help of a camera-fitted drone, were eliminated.
Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir have neutralised two suspected Islamic militants during an intense gunfight that began on Tuesday afternoon in the Basantgarh area of Udhampur district.
According to officials, the encounter erupted after a cordon‑and‑search operation was launched based on precise intelligence inputs indicating the presence of armed militants in the rugged terrain. Once contact was established, additional reinforcements were swiftly deployed. The militants, who had taken shelter inside a cave and were detected with the help of a camera-fitted drone, were subsequently eliminated following a sustained exchange of fire.
Authorities confirmed that the search operation in the area is continuing to ensure no further threats remain.
In a statement posted on 'X', the Army's Nagrota (Jammu)- based 16 Corps-also called White Knight Corps- reported that, acting on specific intelligence provided by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, troops of CIF Delta and the White Knight Corps initiated a focused counter‑terrorism operation in the Jophar Forest area of Basantgarh. "The operation was conducted in close coordination with the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force, whose personnel reinforced the cordon to block any possible escape routes", it said.
The Corps also said that contact with the militants was established at 4 pm on Tuesday, after which forces kept up continuous pressure to prevent the suspects from slipping away. It added that the "successful neutralisation of the two terrorists is the result of a precise and coordinated response, showcasing seamless inter‑agency cooperation and a high degree of operational professionalism".
Although the gunfight has ended, the Army noted that the wider area remains under strict surveillance.
This fresh confrontation follows an extended counter‑terror operation in the eastern Kishtwar region, known as Operation Trashi‑I, during which troops engaged a small group of suspected Jaish‑e‑Muhammad militants over several weeks. That prolonged operation resulted in the death of a paratrooper and left ten other soldiers injured.