JAMMU: A gun battle broke out between security forces and terrorists in the forests at the upper reaches of Billawar in J&K’s Kathua district on Wednesday, where a group of two to three ultras were believed to be hiding. At around 4pm that evening, locals reported spotting a terror suspect in the Kamad Nallah area.“On being alerted, a joint team of security forces, including SOG Kathua and CRPF personnel, rushed to the area and launched a massive search operation. Hidden terrorists opened fire on the search party, triggering an encounter. As the firefight broke out, the ultras ran into the forest,” an official said.IGP (Jammu Zone) Bhim Sen Tuti said in an X post that the troops were relentless against the terrorists despite “darkness, dense vegetation and treacherous terrain”. Officials said the area was cordoned off. The operation lasted until late Wednesday.Earlier this month, a Village Defense Guard (VDG) fired warning shots in the air on January 2 when he observed suspicious movements near his house in Dessa village of Doda district, following which security forces launched an anti-terror operation in the area. On December 31, 2025, based on a VDG report on suspicious movements, a similar operation was carried out in Dali village in Kalakote area of Rajouri district.A series of anti-terror operations were carried out in the upper reaches of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts in Chenab region and in the border areas along Udhampur and Kathua districts to track down and kill ultras on the move. Such operations also continued in the two border districts of Rajouri and Poonch and in Reasi district bordering Rajouri-Ramban in Jammu and Kulgam division of south Kashmir.
