The large-scale anti-terror operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district entered its ninth consecutive day on Saturday, with security forces intensifying search efforts in the dense forest areas of the Manjakote sector. The operation, codenamed “Operation Sheruwali,” is being carried out jointly by the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
The search operation was launched after intelligence agencies received specific inputs about the presence of suspected terrorists hiding in the Dorimal-Gambhir Moghla forest belt. Security forces established a multi-layered cordon around the area and have been conducting extensive combing operations through the rugged and densely forested terrain.
According to officials, additional troops have been deployed to strengthen the security grid and prevent any possible escape routes for the suspected militants. Advanced surveillance equipment, including drones, helicopters, thermal imaging devices and sniffer dogs, is being used to track movement within the forest region.
Security forces reportedly established contact with the suspected terrorists during the initial phase of the operation, leading to brief exchanges of fire. Since then, multiple searches and targeted assaults have been carried out on suspected hideouts concealed within cave-like structures and thick vegetation. Authorities have also launched grenade launcher attacks and fire assaults on locations believed to be used by the militants.
Officials believe that two to three heavily armed terrorists, including a suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba commander, may still be hiding within the cordoned area. Intelligence agencies are closely monitoring the operation, and the Army’s Northern Command has reviewed the ongoing mission amid efforts to narrow down the search zone.
During the operation, security forces have recovered materials from suspected terrorist hideouts and intensified searches in adjoining areas to ensure that no militant manages to escape through the forest routes. The challenging terrain and dense vegetation have slowed progress, but officials say the operation will continue until the entire area is thoroughly sanitized.
Authorities have maintained a high alert across Rajouri and nearby districts as the anti-terror operation continues. Security officials said every possible effort is being made to neutralize the threat and restore normalcy in the region.
