Srinagar: A terrorist, believed to be a Pakistani national, was killed in an encounter with security forces in the high-altitude forests of central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Friday, while a massive search operation remained underway for a second militant believed to be holed up in the rugged terrain.
The operation was jointly launched by the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) following specific intelligence inputs about the movement of a suspected group of terrorists through the Pir Panjal mountain range.
According to officials, security forces had been tracking the movement patterns of the group after it was suspected to have moved from the Ashdar Gali area towards Pakherpora in Pulwama through the Yousmarg belt of Budgam.
The Army tracked the suspected group’s trajectory across high-altitude mountain passes in the Pir Panjal range, prompting security agencies to intensify surveillance and launch a coordinated operation in the area.
Officials said a cordon was laid in the area on September 1 after intelligence inputs indicated the presence and movement of suspected terrorists. Contact with the militants was established at Ashdar Gali, a remote alpine ridge in Budgam, on September 3.
The encounter site is located in an extremely isolated and difficult-to-access area surrounded by dense forests and rugged mountain terrain. Officials said troops had to trek for nearly 10 hours from the Doodhpathri side to reach the location, highlighting the challenging conditions under which the operation is being conducted.
During the operation, troops noticed suspicious movement and challenged the suspected militants. The terrorists responded by opening fire, triggering a fierce exchange of gunfire between the two sides.
In the ensuing encounter, one terrorist was neutralised.
The Srinagar-based Chinar Corps, in a post on X, said that based on specific intelligence inputs, a joint search operation was launched by the Indian Army, J&K Police and CRPF in Budgam.
“Vigilant troops observed suspicious activity, and upon being challenged, terrorists opened fire, prompting a fierce exchange of gunfire during which one terrorist was neutralised and one AK rifle was recovered,” the Army said, adding that the search operation was continuing.
An AK-series assault rifle and other military-grade stores were recovered from the encounter site.
Officials said the identity of the slain terrorist was still being verified, although preliminary inputs suggested that he could be a Pakistani national.
The operation, however, did not end with the killing of the first militant. Security forces continued extensive combing of the area as another terrorist is believed to be hiding in the forested higher reaches.
Officials said the second militant may have suffered injuries during the exchange of fire. Additional troops have consequently been deployed across the higher reaches to prevent him from escaping the cordon.
J&K Police and CRPF personnel have also been providing additional support to the Army to ensure that the surviving militant does not manage to break through the security cordon.
Security forces have simultaneously strengthened their deployment on the Jammu side of the Pir Panjal range to plug possible escape routes and prevent the suspected militant from moving towards the adjoining districts.
The terrain has emerged as one of the biggest challenges for the security forces. The Ashdar Gali area is situated in a remote alpine belt with dense forest cover and difficult mountain approaches, making movement and sustained search operations particularly demanding.
The forest corridors in the wider Pir Panjal belt connect areas of Poonch and Rajouri with parts of Baramulla, Pulwama and Shopian, raising concerns among security agencies about the possibility of militants using the difficult terrain to move between districts.
The operation is being conducted under the codename Operation ASHDAR.
Senior police officers have also been monitoring the operation. Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Zone, Sujit Kumar, visited the area near the encounter site and took stock of the ongoing security operation.
Security forces remained on heightened alert in the surrounding areas, with additional searches being conducted to rule out the presence of other militants and to prevent any attempt by the suspected surviving terrorist to escape.
The operation also prompted authorities to issue an advisory to tourists visiting the popular Doodhpathri destination. Tourists have been advised not to visit Doodhpathri until further orders as the tourist area falls in the vicinity of the ongoing security operation.
The encounter comes after a period of relative lull in major counter-terror operations in the Valley and assumes significance due to the movement of suspected militants through the high-altitude Pir Panjal terrain.
The latest operation also comes amid continued security activity at other vulnerable locations across Jammu and Kashmir.
In Samba, the J&K Police and BSF conducted a joint search-cum-area domination exercise in border villages as part of efforts to strengthen surveillance and maintain security along the sensitive border belt.
Separately, senior J&K Police and CRPF officers reviewed security arrangements along the Katra–Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan route, with the focus on maintaining heightened vigilance and ensuring the safety of pilgrims and visitors.
Security agencies have maintained that such simultaneous measures are aimed at preventing infiltration, movement of militants and other security threats across vulnerable areas of the Union Territory.
