A Pakistani terrorist linked to the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) group was killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district on Friday. The encounter took place in the Billawar area, where security forces launched a joint operation to neutralise the militant, Bhim Sen Tuti, Inspector General of Police for the Jammu range, said.
"A Pakistani Jaish terrorist has been neutralised by a small JKP (J&K Police) team in a joint operation with the Army and CRPF in the general area of Billawar," the Jammu police posted on X.
Officials confirmed that the slain militant was identified as Usman, a commander of Jaish‑e‑Mohammed. They also reported the recovery of a substantial cache of weapons and ammunition from his possession, including an M4 automatic rifle.
How Indian Army executed operation to kill Usman
Usman was sighted inside the house of a local resident in Batodi, Tehsil Billawar, at around 1:30 pm. Army teams immediately reached the location, cordoned off the area, and confirmed that the local resident was being held hostage inside the house.
Due to the hostage situation, the Army initially refrained from using rocket launchers. The local resident later managed to escape from the terrorist’s control and came out safely. Once the hostage was clear, the Army launched a precise rocket strike.
Following this, the terrorist attempted to flee but was neutralised by precise gunfire at approximately 5:45 pm. The final phase of the operation lasted just 10 minutes.
Security forces bust three terrorist hideouts in Kathua
Earlier, security forces uncovered three terrorist hideouts in Kathua. The operations, conducted in Billawar, also involved two encounters with terrorists, who managed to escape under the cover of darkness.
Acting on specific intelligence about the presence of anti-national elements in the forests of Kamaad Nallah, Kalaban and Dhanu Parole, joint teams of police and security personnel launched a large-scale search operation to track and neutralise the suspects.
During the operation, terrorists opened fire on the security forces, leading to an exchange of gunfire that continued through the night, officials said.
Northern Army commander visits Kathua
Army Northern Commander, Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, visited Kathua district on Wednesday to assess the ongoing anti-terror operations, officials reported. He was joined by Lt Gen P K Mishra, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Jammu-based White Knight Corps and Lt Gen Rajan Sharawat, GOC of the Himachal Pradesh-based Rising Star Corps.
