Subhechcha Ganguly 
A fierce encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in the Kuru area of Basantgarh in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district on Thursday, just days ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra, scheduled to commence on July 3. The operation has been codenamed Operation Bihali, after the region where the action is currently underway.
The joint operation was launched by the Indian Army and Jammu & Kashmir Police based on specific intelligence inputs. The White Knight Corps confirmed the development through a post on social media platform 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 takes place amid heightened security arrangements for the Amarnath Yatra, which is expected to witness a massive influx of pilgrims until its conclusion on August 9.
This is the latest in a series of security operations in the region. The ongoing encounter follows closely on the heels of Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, which targeted terrorist infrastructure across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and parts of Pakistan’s Punjab province. That operation resulted in the destruction of nine terror hubs and the killing of over 100 terrorists.
The current exchange of fire in Udhampur also comes nearly two months after a deadly terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam in April, which claimed 26 lives. Security forces remain on high alert, determined to ensure peace and safety during the upcoming pilgrimage.
