Srinagar, July 16: Director General of Police (DGP) Jammu and Kashmir, Nalin Prabhat, on Wednesday confirmed that the terrorist killed in the recent encounter in Dudu-Basantgarh forests of Udhampur district was a top commander of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), active in the region for the past four years.Describing the operation as a significant breakthrough, the DGP said that security forces remain engaged in sustained counter-terror efforts to eliminate remaining terrorist threats in the Jammu region.“The anti-terror operations are continuing. In Dudu-Basantgarh, we achieved a major success by eliminating a senior JeM commander who had been operating in the area for four years. All terrorists will be eliminated one by one,” DGP Prabhat told reporters during his visit to Akhnoor police station near Jammu.The slain terrorist has been identified as Haider, code-named Maulvi, a Pakistani national affiliated with JeM. He was gunned down in a fierce gunfight on June 26, while three of his associates reportedly managed to flee, taking advantage of the dense forests, harsh terrain, and inclement weather in the Basantgarh area.While refraining from disclosing the number of active terrorists in Jammu’s forest belts, DGP Prabhat stated that such operational details could not be shared publicly.“That number cannot be given in the public domain,” he said when asked about the estimated terrorist presence.Accompanied by IG CRPF Gopal Sharma, IGP Jammu Zone BhimSen Tuti, and DIG Jammu-Samba-Kathua Range Shiv Kumar, the DGP was in Akhnoor to felicitate local police personnel for their achievement in securing the ‘Award of Excellence’ in the annual ranking of police stations in Jammu and Kashmir for 2024, awarded by the Ministry of Home Affairs. DGP Prabhat praised the effective police-public coordination in the region, citing the successful operation in the Akhnoor sector earlier this year, which he said was possible due to timely intelligence inputs from locals.“Police cannot succeed without public support. Community cooperation makes even the most difficult tasks manageable,” he noted.He also commended the Jammu Police for their robust performance in tackling drug trafficking, bovine smuggling, and criminal gangs, acknowledging their proactive approach in maintaining law and order.Meanwhile special appreciation was given to former station house officer Tariq Ahmed, Sub-Divisional Police Officer Mohan Sharma, and Superintendent of Police Brijesh Sharma, for their exemplary leadership in 2024. The DGP extended his best wishes to the current SHO Sanjeev Chib and SDPO Varinder Gupta, encouraging them to uphold the same standard of excellence.
