Gunfight resumes in Kishtwar, operation on Searches in Samba

Jammu, Jan 31: Fresh gunfight resumed in the Dolgam area of Kishtwar district in an ongoing operation after the security forces re-established contact with the hiding terrorists on Saturday.

Ongoing Cordon and Search Operations (CASOs), as a part of ìOperation Trashi-Iî, were intensified in Chhatru, Singhpora and adjoining areas of Kishtwar district on Friday to hunt down hiding terrorists, while mobile data services also remained suspended temporarily in these areas since January 23, 2026.

During the joint operation by the Army, Police and CRPF personnel on Saturday morning, the security forces re-established contact in the Dolgam stretch, thus ensuing an exchange of gunfire.

The White Knight of the Indian Army said that a strict cordon was put in place while operations continued following coordinated intelligence.

ìDuring the ongoing joint Operation Trashi-I, contact with terrorists was re-established in the early hours of 31 Jan 2026, in the general area of Dolgam by troops of #WhiteKnightCorps, #jmukmrpolice and # CRPF. Intelligence from all sources had been coordinated to provide inputs to execute the operation on the ground. A cordon has been established, and operations are in progress,î the White Knight Corps posted on its ëXí handle.

With regard to the continuous suspension of mobile data services, J&K Principal Secretary Home, Chandraker Bharti, had confirmed the orders issued by the Inspector General of Police, Jammu zone Bhim Sen Tuti, vis-‡-vis the directions to the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs)/Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to suspend mobile data services (2G/3G/4G/5G) temporarily within a 6-km radius of Chhatru, Chingham and Singhpora areas of Kishtwar district to avoid their misuse by the anti-national elements.

The IGP, Jammu zone, Jammu being the authorised officer under sub rule (1) of Rule 3 of Temporary Suspension of Telecommunication Service Rules, 2024, had issued directions to the Telecom Service Providers and Internet Service Providers to suspend mobile data services (2G/3G/4G/5G) temporarily to avoid their misuse by anti-national elements in the interest of sovereignty and Integrity of India and the security of J&K UT in these areas of district Kishtwar of Jammu province.

According to J&K Home Principal Secretary, the order issued by IGP Jammu mentioned that mobile data services were ìlikely to be misused by anti-national elements or miscreants, which may cause deterioration in public order and unrest among the general masses.î

Bharti, while confirming the IGPís order, said that upon consideration of the various aspects as brought out in the material provided by the authorised officer (IGP), he (Bharti) was satisfied that there was ìabsolute necessity for issuance of these (suspension) directions by him (IGP) without obtaining prior approval of the competent authority, in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State or UT and for maintaining order.î

Prior to todayís exchange of gunfire, the security forces had established last contact with the hiding terrorists during a search operation in Kandiwar forests in Chhatru on the night of January 25. However, the terrorists managed to escape. The cordon of security forces remained in place, covering a wider expanse of forests in Chhatru.

Before that, on January 22, an exchange of fire between the security forces and the hiding terrorists took place in the Singhpora forests, in the vicinity of the Son-Nar stretch, which witnessed a fierce gunfight on January 18, 2026, in the Chhatru area.

A well-equipped terrorist hideout was busted on Monday, January 19, 2026, in the vicinity of the encounter site and the security forces also detained a few individuals to unearth the Over Ground Workers, who helped the terrorists in creating infrastructure in deep forests amid treacherous heights and replenishing it.

The gunfight on January 18 erupted after the security forces came under heavy fire and grenade attack by the hiding terrorists during a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in the Son Nar forest stretch.

A group of two to three terrorists, believed to be affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammad, was engaged in the gunfire in the ëOperation Trashi.í

Eight soldiers sustained injuries in the grenade attack by the terrorists, out of whom one paratrooper, Havildar Gajendra Singh of the Special Forces, succumbed to his injuries.

Meanwhile, security forces on Saturday conducted intensive searches in and around Chillyari village along the International Border in Samba district after the brief movement of a drone, originating from Pakistan, over the village.

This was the second sighting of a drone, originating from Pakistan, in the past two days, in the area.

On Friday, drone movement over Rattanpur village of Ramgarh along the IB in Samba district was recorded, leading to a search operation to ensure there was no air-dropping (by drone) in the area.