Encounter breaks out between security forces & terrorists in J&K's Udhampur

Jammu: Security forces established contact with a group of terrorists in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district on Tuesday, police said and added an operation was underway to neutralise them.

Officials said a few gunshots were heard from the Pathi Nalla Khaned area of Basantgarh when joint search parties of the police and the Army moved deep inside the densely forested area to track down the terrorists.

There was no report of any casualty, they said and added that a hunt for the terrorists was underway.

"After specific input was gleaned regarding movements in the area, a SADO (search and destroy operation) was launched in the wee hours today (Tuesday) by our parties; contact has been established with a group of terrorists in the Khaned area of Basantgarh police station. Ops (operations) underway," Deputy Inspector General (Udhampur) said in a post on X.

Reinforcements have also rushed to the area to track down and neutralise the holed-up terrorists, the officials said.

In April, a village defence guard was killed in a gunfight with terrorists in the Dudu area of Basantgarh.