A massive combing operation continued in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua on Tuesday after five army personnel were killed in a terror attack. The security forces launched the manhunt after the attackers opened fire on an army vehicle in the Machedi area in Billawar on Monday and the operation continued overnight. However, there has been no breakthrough so far.
According to sources, the terrorists were carrying sophisticated weapons to maximise the casualties in the deadly attack that took place inside a forest stretch. Officials believe that 2-3 terrorists may have been involved and they may have received local support.
“The terrorists were accompanied by local supporters, who might have helped them with the route,” the sources said India Today.
Five other soldiers were injured in the attack and are hospitalised.
The terrorists targeted an army truck, part of a routine patrol, with a grenade and gunfire on the Machedi-Kindli-Malhar road near Badnota village in Lohai Malhar, approximately 150 km from Kathua town, at around 3.30 pm, according to officials.
Following the ambush, the terrorists fled into the nearby forest as the army, assisted by police and paramilitary personnel, retaliated.
The terror attack, the fifth in the Jammu region in a month, has drawn widespread condemnation. Political leaders, including three former chief ministers, expressed concern over the increasing number of terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in the Jammu region, where militancy has resurfaced after being eradicated over two decades ago.
Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district was rocked by twin terror attacks on June 11 and 12. On June 11, six security personnel were injured when terrorists attacked a joint check post at Chattargalla, while a police officer was injured in a gunfight with terrorists at Kota Top in the Gandoh area on June 12.
Following the attacks, security forces intensified their anti-terrorist operations and announced a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh each for four Pakistani terrorists believed to have infiltrated and operated in the district.
On June 26, three terrorists were killed during an encounter with security forces in a forest area in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district. The terrorists were killed amid an intensified search and cordon operation by the police along with the Army and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) following twin terrorist attacks in the hilly district on June 11 and 12.
Aisha Patel is a dedicated Indian correspondent with a deep understanding of the nation’s diverse affairs. With a background in Indian culture, politics, and current events, she provides in-depth analysis and timely reporting on domestic issues within India.
