Terrorists behind killing of 5 soldiers in Kathua district trapped in Basantgarh forests; Ops on

JAMMU, AUGUST 6: Terrorists, believed to be behind the killing of five soldiers in Kathua district’s Badnota village near Machedi on July 8, have been cornered by Jammu Kashmir Police and the security forces during a joint operation on Tuesday evening, in the adjoining Khaned area of Basantgarh in Udhampur district on Tuesday.

Sources said that an encounter started between two sides after the police and the security forces established contact with a group of terrorists who were hiding in the forests on the upper reaches of Basantgarh touching Lohai Malhar area in Kathua district.

Badnota village, where terrorists ambushed an army convoy killing five soldiers and injuring five others early last month, falls between Machedi and Lohai Malhar. The Lohai Malhar and adjoining Basantgarh areas had been a hot bed of militancy in the mid-1990s to the early 2000s.

DIG Udhampur – Reasi Range, Rayees Mohammad Bhat, confirmed encounter with terrorists on his official `X’ (formerly Twitter) handle saying: “After specific input was gleaned regarding movement in the area, a SADO was launched in the wee hours today by our parties; contact has been established with a group of terrorists in Khaned area of PS Basantgarh. Ops underway @JmuKmrPolice @adgpi @crpfindia”.

According to sources, terrorists involved in terror attack on Army convoy at Badnota in Lohai Malhar tehsil of Kathua district last month, were part of a large group which had infiltrated from across the border around two months ago.