Gunfight Breaks Out Between Security Forces and Terrorists in J&K’s Udhampur

Jammu — A fierce gunfight erupted on Thursday between security forces and terrorists in the Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir.

According to officials, suspicious movement was detected early this morning in the Basantgarh area of the district, prompting security forces to launch a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO).

“During the operation, security personnel came under heavy automatic gunfire from the terrorists. The forces retaliated, leading to an ongoing encounter. Additional reinforcements have been dispatched to the area,” officials confirmed.

Further updates are awaited.

Following the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam — where Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives killed 26 civilians in Baisaran meadow — security forces across the Union Territory remain on high alert.

To bolster security for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, which begins on July 3 and concludes on August 9 (coinciding with the Shravan Purnima festival), additional contingents of the BSF, CRPF, and SSB have been deployed across Jammu and Kashmir.

Pilgrims undertake the journey to the sacred cave shrine, located at an altitude of 3,888 metres in the Kashmir Himalayas, via either the traditional Pahalgam route or the shorter Baltal route.

A full-scale security drill was conducted successfully on Wednesday across all districts along the Yatra route. Security forces have secured strategic mountaintops to prevent terrorist infiltration into the hinterland and to avert possible attacks during the pilgrimage.

In addition to the two main base camps — Baltal in Ganderbal district and Nunwan (Pahalgam) in Anantnag district — several transit camps have been established along both pilgrimage routes.

Ensuring the smooth and safe conduct of this year’s Amarnath Yatra poses a significant challenge for security forces and local police, especially in the wake of recent hostilities between India and Pakistan, during which Indian armed forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

With inputs from IANS