An encounter broke out on Thursday (26 June) between security forces and terrorists in the Kuru area of Basantgarh, Udhampur district in Jammu and Kashmir, just a week ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra, Hindustan Times reported.

The joint operation, launched by the Indian Army and Jammu & Kashmir Police, has been named Operation Bihali, after the area where the gunfight began.

The White Knight Corps confirmed the development in a post on X, stating, “Op BIHALI. Based on specific intelligence, a joint operation was launched by #IndianArmy and@JmuKmrPolice in the Bihali area of #Basantgarh. Contact has been established with #terrorists. The #operation is currently in progress.”

The encounter started early Thursday morning (26 June).

IGP Jammu Zone Bhim Sen Tuti told reporters that the operation is still ongoing.

The gun battle comes amid heightened security arrangements ahead of the Amarnath Yatra, which begins on 3 July and will continue till 9 August.

A large number of pilgrims are expected to visit the holy Amarnath cave shrine in the coming days.

On Wednesday (25 June), security forces conducted a joint mock drill at the Baltal base camp in Ganderbal district as part of Yatra preparedness.

Thursday’s encounter also follows recent anti-terror action in the region. It comes nearly two months after a terror attack in Pahalgam in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists on 22 April.

It also comes about six weeks after Operation Sindoor, launched on 7 May in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.

In the operation, Indian forces targeted nine terror hubs in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan’s Punjab province, eliminating over 100 terrorists.

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