Operation in Rajouri ends in loss as Army officer dies after fall into gorge

An Army officer died on Saturday afternoon after falling into a deep gorge during an ongoing anti-militancy search operation in the dense forests of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir. Officials said the officer, a lieutenant from the Assam Rifles, was part of a coordinated search team deployed in the area when the accident occurred. He was immediately evacuated for medical treatment, but succumbed to his injuries at a hospital. Part of Extended Anti-Militancy Operation The search activity is part of Operation Sheruwali, a large-scale counter-militancy exercise underway in the Ghambir Mughan and Dorimal forest belts of Manjakote. The operation was launched nearly two weeks ago after intelligence inputs indicated the presence of militants in the region. Security forces involved include the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), supported by drones, sniffer dogs, and helicopter surveillance to locate suspected militant movement in the rugged terrain. A senior Army officer confirmed that search operations will continue despite the incident, stating that the objective remains to track down and neutralize the militants operating in the area. Militancy Presence in the Pir Panjal Region Officials believe a group of around five militants may be active in the broader Pir Panjal region, possibly split into two smaller units to evade detection. Over the past few months, these groups are suspected to have shifted locations under pressure from ongoing counter-insurgency operations. Intelligence assessments suggest the militants moved toward the lower reaches of the Pir Panjal range following sustained search operations by the Romeo Force in adjoining forested zones such as Sukhsar and Lalansar. The forest belt between the Rajouri–BG–Surankote road (NH-144A) and the Rajouri–Thanamandi–DKG–Buffliaz road has remained a focus of security operations for the past several years due to repeated militant activity. Ongoing Operations Continue The current operation began on May 22, and troops reportedly had a brief exchange of fire with militants a day later. Since then, there has been no direct contact, but search efforts have continued across difficult terrain. Security forces maintain that the operation will persist until the suspected militants are located, as agencies continue coordinated efforts to secure the forested zones of Rajouri and nearby areas in Poonch district.