JAMMU: Security forces continued their “seek-and-shoot” operation Sunday in the forested Sufain area of Kathua district in Jammu division, days after a gunfight left four policemen dead. The confrontation, which erupted Thursday when a search team was ambushed by Pakistani terrorists hiding in the woods, lasted more than 20 hours and also resulted in the deaths of two attackers affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed.
J&K police said some of the terrorists may have escaped and are moving through the mountainous terrain, an area frequently traversed by local herders in search of pasture for their livestock. Officials have urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.
The forces have deployed bulletproof vehicles, drones, and sniffer dogs in an effort to track the fugitives, who may be using remote mountain huts built by nomadic herders for shelter.
The attackers are believed to be part of the same group that evaded capture last Sunday after a brief shooting near Sanyal village in Hiranagar sector, close to the Pakistan border. Sufain forests are about 35km from Sanyal village. A village couple had spotted five armed men moving in the area and alerted police.
Security operations have since expanded, with similar searches conducted near Kathera village in Kathua tehsil and Gharh in Billawer.
Kathua district has been a key route for militants for over three decades due to its strategic location. It connects Doda and Udhampur districts to the north, providing a passage to Kashmir valley. Experts said the district’s proximity to the Pakistan border and its rugged terrain with dense forests provide ideal hiding spots for terrorists.
Police dismissed social media reports suggesting that terrorists had seized service weapons from the fallen policemen. “All weapons and their belongings have been accounted for,” a police spokesperson said. “Some people are spreading rumours. Strict legal action shall be taken against them.”
Among those wounded in the gunfight were DSP Dheeraj Katoch, two other policemen, and a soldier from Army’s 1 Para (Special Forces). Lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha visited Sunday the govt medical college and hospital in Jammu to check on the wounded men and met their families, assuring them of full support.