A police officer made the ultimate sacrifice while a terrorist is believed to have been wounded during a fierce exchange of fire in a remote village of Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district on Monday, December 15. The operation, which has now concluded for the night, was launched based on specific intelligence about the presence of three terrorists linked to the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit.
Operation Launched in Remote Soan Village
According to officials cited by PTI, the encounter unfolded in the Soan village of the Majalta area. A joint security team comprising the police's Special Operations Group (SOG), the Indian Army, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) initiated a search operation after receiving concrete information about terrorist movement in this hilly region. Inspector General of Police, Jammu, Bhim Sen Tuti, confirmed that contact was established with the terrorists based on this specific input.
Bravery in Darkness and Treacherous Terrain
The gunfight began around 6 pm and lasted for a significant duration. IGP Tuti, in a post on social media platform X, highlighted the challenging circumstances, stating that "a very small SOG team engaged the terrorists!" He further noted that the combing operation in the dense forest was severely hampered by darkness and the dangerous, difficult terrain of the area.
During this initial engagement, one valiant SOG jawan sustained critical injuries. Despite efforts to save him, the officer later succumbed to his wounds, marking a tragic loss for the security forces. On the other side, officials reported that one terrorist is believed to have been injured in the same exchange of fire.
Cordon Strengthened, Operation to Resume
Following the intense firefight, the operation was temporarily suspended for the night due to the operational constraints posed by the dark and rugged landscape. However, the security cordon around the village remains stringent, with all possible escape routes firmly blocked to prevent the holed-up terrorists from fleeing.
Reinforcements have been swiftly rushed to the location to further tighten the noose and support the neutralization mission. The search and combing operation is scheduled to resume at first light on Tuesday, with security forces determined to flush out the remaining terrorists.
