Operation Trashi-I: 12 days, tough terrain, and a high-stakes hunt
It's been 12 intense days since security forces kicked off Operation Trashi-I in the snowy forests of Kishtwar, searching for suspects believed to be affiliated with Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).
The mission started January 18 and has already seen fierce clashes—seven to eight soldiers were hurt and one, identified in one report as Havildar Gajendra Singh, lost his life.
While one Pakistani militant was killed in later encounters, a couple of others managed to slip away under cover of darkness.
How the search is evolving—and what's been uncovered
Teams from the Army, CRPF, and J&K Police are tracking down militants across tough terrain, with the Army using drones and sniffer dogs, including expanding the hunt along the Kishtwar-Sinthan road and sealing escape routes into neighboring forested areas.
A hidden base packed with supplies (think 50 Maggi packets and bags of rice) turned up in Kishtwar, pointing to strong local support networks.
Four people have been detained as investigators dig deeper into who's helping these militants stay hidden.