Four cops of J&K Police killed in action during Kathua encounter; three terrorists neutralized

Four cops of the Jammu and Kashmir Police lost their lives in the line of duty during an ongoing encounter with terrorists in the Kathua district. Three terrorists were also eliminated by security forces during the fierce gunfight, which began on Thursday morning.

While the bodies of three officers were recovered on Thursday, the body of another policeman was spotted by security forces using a drone. The officer, who was in charge of the Safiyan Police Post in the Kathua district, had been missing since Thursday.

Earlier on Thursday, three Pakistani terrorists were neutralized, and three officers of the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police were killed in action in the Safiyan village of the Kathua district.

Six officers, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP), were injured during the day-long search operation.

Operation resumes on Friday

The search operation, which was halted late Thursday evening, resumed this morning with the deployment of additional forces. It is believed that two terrorists are still alive in the area and are searching for an escape route after three members of their group were killed by security forces.

Reports indicate that joint security teams are advancing cautiously toward the targeted area.

A fierce encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists on Thursday morning in a remote forest area of the Kathua district, Jammu and Kashmir. In the intense gunbattle, three terrorists, reportedly affiliated with the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM)-linked People's Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), were killed.

Tragically, four officers lost their lives, and five security personnel, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), were injured. Among the injured is a para commando.

The clash began in the early hours of Thursday and continued with intermittent firing from both sides until late evening. The operation was halted after nightfall due to poor visibility. Reports suggest that a villager alerted the police about the presence of terrorists, triggering a swift security response.

Authorities believe these terrorists were the same individuals spotted last Sunday in Sanyal village, Hiranagar, which prompted a large-scale search operation in the region.

The ongoing effort involves personnel from the Army, Border Security Force (BSF), Jammu and Kashmir Police, and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Additional troops have been deployed at the encounter site to prevent any escape attempts by the terrorists. Helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), drones, and dog squads are also being utilized to strengthen the operation.

The sequence of events began at 8:00 AM on Thursday when a villager in Ambanal, located in the Juthana area of Rajbagh, Hiranagar, spotted five armed terrorists heading toward Billawar and immediately informed the police. A police contingent reached the location swiftly, and by 9:15 AM, during the search operation, the terrorists opened fire upon realizing they were surrounded. In the initial exchange of gunfire, the DSP and several officers were caught in the crossfire. Reinforcements arrived soon after, rescuing the injured DSP and escalating the counteroffensive.

The encounter, which lasted approximately one and a half hours, saw a brief lull before the terrorists resumed their attack. Security forces responded with rocket launchers, leading to further exchanges of fire that continued until late evening.

Among the casualties were four martyred officers, including three personnel from the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, who sustained fatal bullet wounds to the stomach and head.

Five security personnel were injured in the operation, including DSP Border Dheeraj Katoj. Among the wounded are Special Police Officer (SPO) Bharat Chalotra from Akhnoor, who was shifted to Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu, and SPO Happy Sharma from Hiranagar, initially taken to GMC Kathua before being referred to GMC Jammu for advanced treatment.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha paid tributes to the brave martyrs of Jammu Kashmir Police, who laid down their lives in the line of duty in Kathua.

The Lieutenant Governor posted on X: "I bow to the valorous martyrs of J&K Police, who laid down their lives for our motherland. My deepest condolences to their families. In the ongoing Kathua encounter, several terrorists were neutralised. J&K Police & Security Forces are on the job. Operation in progress."