Cave Hideout of Jaish Terrorists Caught on Camera Before They Were Eliminated in Udhampur Encounter

Two Jaish-e-Mohammad commanders were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district on Wednesday after they were tracked through surveillance during a multi-agency operation, officials said.

The militants, identified as Mavi and Zubair, were eliminated following a prolonged gunbattle involving the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force. An AK-47 rifle and an M4 carbine were recovered from the encounter site after the area was secured.

Surveillance leads forces to forest cave

According to officials, the operation began after security teams spotted the two terrorists on surveillance inputs while they were hiding inside a natural cave in a forested area near Ramnagar in Udhampur district. The cave was located in dense terrain, making direct access and visual confirmation difficult.

Security sources said the militants were first tracked around 4 pm on Tuesday in the Jaffer forest area, following which contact was established. A gunfight broke out soon after and continued for over an hour.

Attempted escape caught, cordon tightened

Officials said firing briefly resumed around 7.30 pm when the militants attempted to break the cordon under the cover of darkness. Surveillance and ground teams picked up the movement, prompting forces to reposition and tighten the cordon.

Additional Army units, including paratroopers and dog squads, were rushed to the spot to seal possible escape routes. No exchange of fire was reported overnight, officials said.

Final assault on Wednesday morning

Security forces launched a calibrated final assault on Wednesday morning, leading to the killing of both Jaish-e-Mohammad operatives. The operation was conducted under Operation Kiya, which was launched following specific intelligence inputs about terrorist presence in the forest belt of Udhampur.

"Contact with terrorists was established yesterday and they were prevented from breaking contact. Following a coordinated and calibrated response, two terrorists were successfully neutralised," an official said, adding that the operation reflected "seamless inter-agency coordination and tactical precision".

Weapons recovered, operation concluded

After the encounter, the bodies of both militants were retrieved and weapons were seized from the site. Officials said the operation concluded with no casualties among security personnel.

The encounter is part of a series of anti-terror operations in the region, as security forces continue efforts to track and neutralise militants operating in forested and high-altitude areas of Jammu and Kashmir.