JAMMU, Apr 11: Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General M V Suchindra Kumar on Friday lauded the swift and precise action of the troops in neutralising a terrorist during an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district. He reiterated the Army’s commitment to keeping the region free from terrorism.

“One terrorist has been neutralised in an ongoing operation in Kishtwar,” the Northern Command stated in a post on X. “Lt Gen M V Suchindra Kumar commends the White Knight Corps for their swift action and precise execution. The Indian Army stands by its commitment to keep Jammu and Kashmir terror-free.”

According to the White Knight Corps (16 Corps), the encounter occurred during a joint search-and-destroy operation launched by the Army and J&K Police in the Chatru forest area of Kishtwar. Contact was established with terrorists, triggering a gunfight, which led to the killing of one terrorist.

Meanwhile, a separate combing operation is underway in the Jopher-Marta forest area of Udhampur district, where three terrorists are believed to be hiding. Multiple teams, aided by sniffer dogs and aerial surveillance, are combing the dense forest area.

Security forces have been closely monitoring terrorist activity in these hilly areas for the past 19 days, during which five encounters have taken place—three in Kathua, one in Udhampur, and one in Kishtwar.

On March 27, an encounter resulted in the killing of two terrorists and four policemen, while three other personnel, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police, were injured.

In response to the heightened threat, security has been stepped up along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, with intensified frisking and vehicle checks, officials said.