A massive search operation has been launched by security forces in the Hiranagar area of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua after a woman reportedly saw three armed men on Monday night.
The security forces are searching areas which are known for being used by infiltrators.
The development comes a day after Indian forces killed three terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack in an encounter near the Dachigam National Park in Srinagar.
Srinagar senior superintendent of police GV Sundeep Chakravarty confirmed that the three terrorists were Pakistani nationals, belonged to the Lashkar-e-Taiba, and were killed in the Harwan area as part of Operation Mahadev on Monday afternoon.
In Lok Sabha, Union home minister Amit Shah announced on Tuesday that one of the masterminds of the Pahalgam terror attack, Suleiman Shah, was among those killed in the gunfight.
A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will examine the bodies of the three terrorists killed, as well as the electronic devices and weapons recovered from them.
More on Operation Mahadev
Operation Mahadev was launched on Monday following intelligence and technical surveillance pointing to terrorist movement in the region.
Operation Mahadev was launched on Monday following intelligence and technical surveillance pointing to terrorist movement in the region.
The encounter began around 11am when a joint team of the 24 Rashtriya Rifles and 4 Para unit detected terrorist activity in the Mulnar area of Harwan. Acting swiftly, the forces engaged the terrorists in an intense firefight, resulting in the deaths of three heavily armed terrorists.
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It came on a day Parliament started debating Operation Sindoor, which was launched as a response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
The operation was named after the 13,000-ft Mahadev mountain, the highest peak in the Zabarwan range, which is located near the Dachigam National Park and is known for its natural beauty and trekking trails.