Srinagar: Four Army jawans, including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), were killed and six others injured in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s frontier district of Kathua on Monday. The attack prompted the Army to launch a massive search operation alongside local police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).
The attack occurred around 3.30 pm near Badnote village, about 152 km from the district headquarters. Terrorists first threw a hand grenade at Army vehicles and then opened fire with automatic weapons. The soldiers, who were on routine patrol duty on Machedi-Kindli-Malhar Road, were ambushed.
Officials suspect that the terrorists infiltrated from Pakistan along the Kathua-Samba-Jammu belt. The attack coincided with the eighth death anniversary of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.
A gunfight ensued between the Army and the militants, which continued as reports last came in. Initial reports suggest the militants escaped into nearby woods. A massive Cordon-and-Search Operation (CASO) was initiated after the injured soldiers were evacuated to the hospital, where doctors confirmed four soldiers were brought dead and two of the six injured were in critical condition.
The Jammu region, typically free of separatist violence, has seen a surge in attacks. Last month, militants carried out four attacks in the area, including an attack on a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, resulting in several deaths and injuries.
Despite claims of a decline in violence following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, recent attacks have raised alarms within the government and security forces. Home Minister Amit Shah has called for a crackdown on emerging terrorism in Jammu, stressing the need for intelligence to thwart further infiltrations.
Security forces remain on high alert. Recent operations include the killing of two militants a CRPF jawan in Kathua and three foreign terrorists in Doda. In response to Monday's attack, security forces have encircled the forest area where the terrorists are believed to be hiding. The Army has deployed transport helicopters to airdrop special forces in the Mandli sub-sector and may use combat helicopters to engage the terrorists more effectively.
