Tue Apr 01 06:10:23 UTC 2025: ## Manhunt Underway in Kathua After Militant Encounter
**Jammu, April 1, 2025** – A major search and destroy operation is underway in the Panjthirthi-Barota area of Kathua district, Jammu and Kashmir, following a gunfight between security forces and three militants on March 31. The operation, involving the Indian Army, police, NSG, CRPF, and BSF, resumed at first light on April 1st, according to the Army’s Rising Star Corps.
The militants, believed to be part of a group involved in previous encounters near the International Border, have been evading capture for several days. A previous encounter on March 23 resulted in the militants escaping; a subsequent clash on March 27 led to the death of two militants and four policemen, with three others injured.
The current search operation, employing aerial surveillance and sniffer dogs, intensified after a fresh encounter late on March 31. A cordon was established to prevent the escape of the remaining three militants. The Army reported deploying multiple surveillance-cum-ambushes in the region.
The militants’ movements have been tracked through several villages, including Rui, where they reportedly entered a villager’s house and stole food before fleeing. Six individuals, including women from the family of a suspected overground worker (OGW) already in jail, have been detained for questioning regarding their alleged assistance to the militants. The ongoing operation aims to neutralize the remaining militants and disrupt any support networks.
First Piper 