Terrorist Encounter Erupts in Udhampur’s Basantgarh Ahead of Amarnath Yatra; Operation Bihali Underway

An encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists on Thursday in the Kuru area of Basantgarh, Udhampur district—just a week ahead of the Amarnath Yatra. The joint Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police operation, codenamed Operation Bihali, is currently underway.

Security officials said the operation was launched based on specific intelligence inputs. Four Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists, who had reportedly been under surveillance for nearly a year, are believed to be trapped in a densely forested area. Despite inclement weather, reinforcements have been rushed in, and a large-scale search is in progress.

“Op BIHALI: Based on specific intelligence, a joint operation was launched by #IndianArmy and @JmuKmrPolice in the Bihali area of #Basantgarh. Contact has been established with #terrorists. The operation is currently in progress,” the Army’s White Knight Corps posted on X.

Inspector General of Police, Jammu Zone, Bhim Sen Tuti, confirmed that the encounter began early Thursday morning and remains ongoing.

Heightened Vigil Ahead of Amarnath Yatra

The encounter comes just ahead of the Amarnath Yatra, which begins on July 3 and will continue till August 9. With a massive influx of pilgrims expected to visit the sacred cave shrine, security forces have ramped up vigilance across Jammu and Kashmir.

To enhance preparedness, security forces on Wednesday conducted a joint mock drill at the Baltal base camp in Ganderbal district. The exercise was supervised by the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Ganderbal, and was aimed at testing coordination and response mechanisms in case of an emergency during the Yatra.

Follows Operation Sindoor and Pahalgam Attack

Thursday’s encounter is the latest in a series of counter-terror operations. It follows the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 tourists lost their lives, and comes just over a month after Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, during which Indian forces struck nine terror hubs in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan’s Punjab province, reportedly killing more than 100 terrorists.

The Bihali encounter underlines the continued threat from terror groups in the region and the ongoing efforts by security forces to neutralise them ahead of the high-security pilgrimage.