NEW DELHI: Several gunshots were heard on Tuesday after security forces launched a search operation following information about suspected terrorist movement in a remote village of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district, officials said.The intermittent firing was reported from the Najote forest area of Billawar, around 10 km from the Kamadh nallah in the Kahog forest belt, where security forces had exchanged fire with terrorists on January 7, the officials said.According to officials, the suspected terrorists fired a few shots after noticing the movement of security forces, who retaliated while advancing deeper into the forest to neutralize them.They said the cordon-and-search operation has been strengthened, and efforts are underway to track down the ultras.An encounter had broken out between terrorists and security forces in the Kahog area on January 7, but the militants managed to escape by taking advantage of darkness, difficult terrain and dense forest cover.Security forces have intensified anti-terrorist operations across the Jammu region ahead of the upcoming Republic Day celebrations.(With inputs from PTI)
