With the melting of snow and opening of mountain passes, the Army has increased surveillance in the densely forested area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district to maintain peace and thwart any attempt by terrorists to cross over into the Chenab valley, security officials said.
The stepped-up surveillance in the high-altitude areas of Bhaderwah valley comes close on the heels of a massive ongoing operation against terrorists, who managed to infiltrate from across the International Border into Kathua district last month.
Kathua has emerged as a major infiltrating route for the Pakistan-based terrorists to reach higher reaches of Udhampur, Doda and Kishtwar districts and further to Kashmir over the past one year.
Anticipating movement of terrorists, the officials said the Army has revamped the surveillance measures in the higher reaches of the Bhaderwah valley with the melting of snow and heightened security concerns after recent encounters and sightings of terrorists in Kathua.
Four police personnel and two terrorists were killed in a fierce encounter in Kathua on March 27, five days after the first gunfight with a group of five Pakistani terrorists near the International border in Hiranagar sector.
Police, paramilitary forces and Army are conducting relentless operations in the higher reaches of both Kathua and adjoining Udhampur districts, bordering Doda and Samba to track down and neutralise the fleeing terrorists.
Despite very difficult circumstances in view of the threat of snow avalanches, Army’s Rashtriya Rifles unit based at Bhadarwah has increased surveillance in 15,500 feet high Kailash Kund mountains besides snow covered Seoj Dhar, Padri Galli, Shankh Padder and Chattergalla pass, an army officer said.
He said besides sending in the additional troops to the high altitude passes bordering Kathua, Samba and Udhampur, a high security joint picket is being established at Chattargalla paas, the highest point on Bhadarwah-Pathankot highway located at a height of 10,531 ft above sea level.
“High end night vision electronic gadgets are being used for foolproof security at the high altitude pass that will be jointly manned by Army, CRPF and Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police,” a police officer said.
Last year on July 11, six security personnel were injured when terrorists attacked their picket at Chattargalla, marking the first terrorist attack in the district in four years. The incident followed several gunfights that left five security personnel and four terrorists dead in 2024.
