Jammu: The bodies of all four Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) policemen who were martyred in an anti-terrorist operation in Kathua have been recovered, as Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat confirmed that the operation will proceed on Saturday.
After a wreath-laying ceremony for the fallen officers at the district police lines in Kathua, DGP Prabhat provided details to the media, stating that on March 23, a woman reported sighting Pakistani terrorists in Sanyal village. A quick response team of five police personnel was dispatched, leading to an encounter where the terrorists fled, leaving behind four magazines, two IEDs, and two grenades.
Following the terrorists’ escape from Sanyal, various checkpoints were established, and the Army, BSF, and CRPF joined the operation. The search, which began four days earlier, intensified after further sightings of the terrorists in nearby Safiyan village.
During the operation in the Panjtirthi area, security forces engaged in a confrontation that resulted in the killing of two terrorists. Unfortunately, the terrorists were positioned advantageously on a mountainside, leading to the martyrdom of four police personnel in the encounter. DGP Prabhat expressed that while words cannot suffice to avenge their loss, the J&K Police’s resolve remains steadfast, emphasizing their commitment to combating the threats posed by Pakistan and its affiliates.
The bodies of the martyred policemen have been retrieved, including the recently recovered Head Constable Jagbir Singh, Incharge of Police Post Safiyan. This brings the total number of police personnel martyred in the fierce gun battle in the Rajbagh area of Kathua to four.
Security forces are intensifying their efforts to locate and eliminate remaining terrorists, utilizing heavy weapons and explosives. The bodies of three of the martyred policemen—Tariq Ahmed, Jaswant Singh, and Balwinder Singh Chib—were recovered on Friday, while Jagbir Singh’s body was found late the previous evening. After post-mortem examinations at the Government Medical College (GMC) Kathua, their bodies were sent home with full honors.
Official reports indicate that the bodies of two terrorists, believed to be affiliated with the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), have not yet been recovered, though their presence has been noted in drone footage. Security forces, including the Army’s Rising Star Corps and other agencies, are actively making their way to the Ghati heights, where firefights have taken place.
The community alerted police about five heavily armed terrorists moving toward the Ghati heights, potentially aiming to reach the Billawar forests and then proceed to Udhampur and Kishtwar districts. The condition of injured security personnel is reported to be stable.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders, including Ravinder Raina and Rajiv Jasrotia, MLA from Jasrota (Kathua), faced scrutiny at GMC Kathua regarding the martyrdom of the officers. Jasrotia has been closely monitoring the operation over the past two days, urging local support for the security forces involved in the ongoing confrontation.
The People’s Anti-Fascist Front, a group linked to the Pakistan-based JeM, has claimed responsibility for the encounter. The Army’s Rising Star Corps expressed their respect for the bravery and dedication of J&K Police personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice during the operation.
