JeM terrorist killed, 3 others trapped as encounter breaks out in J-K’s Udhampur

A terrorist of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit was killed in an encounter with security forces on Thursday, while three of his associates remained trapped in a forested area in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district, officials said.

The group of four terrorists was being tracked for a year. They were confronted by a joint search party of the army and police in the remote Bihali area of Basantgarh in the morning, they said.

According to officials, reinforcements have been rushed in and a massive search operation is going on despite bad weather.

"In the ongoing operation by the Indian Army and the J&K Police, one terrorist has been neutralised till now. Operation continues," a defence spokesperson said.

Operation Bihali comes a week ahead of the start of the annual Amarnath Yatra in the Kashmir Himalayas.

Inspector General of Police, Jammu range, Bhim Sen Tuti, said contact was established with the terrorists at around 8.30 am.

"They are believed to be four in number and we have been tracking (this group) for the last one year," he told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

He said a search operation was going on despite foggy conditions, and the real picture would emerge once the weather improves.

Officials added that the trapped terrorists are members of the Pakistan-based JeM and were found hiding near Karoor nullah by the joint search party led by the army's para commandos.

Earlier in the day, Jammu-based White Knight Corps of the Army said on X, "Based on specific intelligence, a joint operation was launched by Indian Army and J&K Police in the Bihali area of Basantgarh. Contact has been established with terrorists. The operation is currently in progress."

Besides, security forces conducted a search operation in the Purmandal area of Samba district late on Wednesday following reports of suspicious activity. However, the operation concluded peacefully after nothing was found on the ground, officials said.