JeM commander Saifullah among those trapped
*Helicopters, drones pressed into service
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 31: A fresh encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists at village Dolgam in Chatroo area of Kishtwar district early today where the troops joined by paramilitary forces, police and SOG have been chasing a group of three to four Pakistani terrorists of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit including their commander Saifullah for past nearly a tonight.
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“One of the terrorists is believed to have been injured in the gun battle after being hit by a bullet on his hand,’’ officials told the Excelsior but said the injured terrorist is also on the run along with his colleagues.
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Security forces, who have been chasing the terrorists using helicopters, drones and other sophisticated gadgetry, engaged them in gun battle at 5.30 am at Dolgam in upper reaches of Chatroo in Kishtwar district. Intense firing took place for about an hour. The terrorists reportedly fled to another hill.
Another contact with the terrorists was established around 10 am and firefight lasted an hour again. Exchange of firing took place again this evening.
As per the officials, a terrorist was hit by the bullet on his hand and was injured. However, as per preliminary reports, he was taken away by his fleeing associates but security forces continue to chase them in the mountains. The operation was temporarily suspended tonight and will resume with first sunlight tomorrow.
Encounter raged in Chatroo forests since the past few days and contact with the terrorists has been established three to four times but they have managed to escape. An Army soldier was martyred and seven others were injured on Day one of the gun battle.
“At least three to four terrorists, all believed to be Pakistanis and affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit, have been trapped in the upper reaches of Chatroo. One of the terrorists reportedly include Saifullah, a dreaded commander of Jaish,’’ the officials said.
Kishtwar has seen six encounters in the past seven months as security forces continue their crackdown on Pakistan-based terrorists operating in the region, which shares borders with Doda and Udhampur districts.
Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Pratik Sharma visited Kishtwar district to review the counter-terrorism grid and commended the troops for their unwavering resolve in the ongoing efforts.
“During the ongoing joint Operation Trashi-I, contact with terrorists was re-established in the early hours of January 31 in the general area of Dolgam by troops of the White Knight Corps, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and CRPF,” the White Knight Corps said on X.
The Army noted that intelligence inputs from various sources were coordinated to plan and execute the operation on the ground. “A cordon has been established, and operations are in progress,” it said.
To prevent misuse by anti-national elements during the operation, mobile internet services have been temporarily suspended since Friday within a six-kilometer radius covering Singhpora, Chingam, and Chatroo.
The operation in the area was launched on January 18, leading to a fierce gun battle in the Sonnar forest near Mandral-Singhpora, resulting in the martyrdom of a paratrooper and injuries to seven soldiers.
Although the terrorists managed to escape, benefiting from thick vegetation and challenging terrain, security forces continued their pursuit despite more than two feet of snowfall.
Two more encounters between the Army and the terrorists occurred at Mali Dana Top on January 22 and Janseer-Kandiwar on January 25, but the terrorists once again slipped deep into the forested area.
The visit of the Army Commander to the mountainous district comes after a high-level security review of the evolving security dynamics in the Jammu region, with a focus on strengthening the counter-terrorism grid on Thursday.
“Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, Army Commander Northern Command, visited Kishtwar today to review the counter-terrorism grid and operational preparedness,” Northern Command Headquarters said on X.
The Army Commander, while interacting with ground commanders and troops, commended them for their unwavering resolve in the ongoing efforts.
On Thursday, the Northern Army Commander chaired a high-level security meeting in Jammu and reviewed the evolving security dynamics in the Jammu region, with a focus on strengthening the counter-terrorism grid, officials said.
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