Officials on Saturday announced the recovery of a highly decomposed body of a suspected Pakistani national affiliated with the proscribed Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit from the higher reaches of Doda district in Jammu and Kashmir. The condition of the remains suggests the individual may have sustained injuries during an encounter with security forces last year and subsequently died while in hiding within the forested terrain, according to investigators. The recovery was made during a joint operation involving the special operations group (SOG) of local police, the Army, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in the remote Divshetar area of Seojdhar forest, a challenging and densely wooded region that connects the Bhaderwah valley of Doda with the adjoining Udhampur and Kathua districts. Information reaching Tahir Rihat suggests that a US-made M4 carbine, along with ammunition, was found alongside the unidentified body, leading officials to believe the deceased was likely a high-ranking commander within the Pakistan-based terrorist organization. The Jammu and Kashmir Police confirmed the recovery on X, stating, “SOG Doda, RR (Rashtriya Rifles) and CRPF retrieved the remains of a Pakistani Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist, who was neutralised earlier in a Joint Op (operation). A night-enabled M4 has also been recovered.” The advanced state of decomposition indicates the death occurred a considerable time prior, though the exact circumstances and timing are still under investigation.
The Seoj Dhar and adjacent higher elevations have historically been of significant operational importance, serving as infiltration routes for JeM terrorists entering from across the border. These militants have utilized the difficult mountainous terrain to establish hideouts and evade security forces. For several years, security forces have conducted sustained counter-terrorism operations across the Doda-Kishtwar-Udhampur-Kathua belt with the objective of dismantling these networks and denying terrorists safe passage and shelter in the upper reaches. These relentless operations have reportedly led to the elimination of a substantial number of active terrorists in the region, many of whom have been identified as Pakistani nationals. Security agencies have also maintained heightened surveillance and initiated searches in remote forest areas based on intelligence inputs and assessments of potential terrorist movements. Official figures indicate that in 2025, Doda district witnessed four terrorist fatalities and five security personnel deaths in separate encounters. The adjoining Kishtwar district recorded five deaths in the same year, comprising four terrorists and one security personnel, an increase from four deaths in 2024, which included three terrorists and one security personnel. In 2024, Doda district recorded a total of five deaths, with three security personnel and two civilians losing their lives. Udhampur district saw four fatalities in 2024, including two terrorists, one security personnel, and one civilian. In 2025, Udhampur recorded four deaths, consisting of one terrorist and three security personnel, while 2026 has so far seen two terrorist deaths in the district. Kathua district reported the highest casualties among the four districts in 2024, with nine deaths, including two terrorists and seven security personnel. The following year, seven individuals were killed, comprising three terrorists and four security personnel, and in 2026, one terrorist death has been recorded so far.
The recovery of the terrorist’s body from Seojdhar forest occurred just days after the Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir, Nalin Prabhat, visited a joint temporary operating base at the Doda-Kathua-Udhampur trijunction on September 10. During his visit, he reviewed the security situation and operational preparedness in this strategically vital belt. He was accompanied by Inspector General of Police, Jammu Zone, Tejinder Singh; DIG Doda-Ramban-Kishtwar Range, Sargun Shukla; DIG Udhampur-Reasi Range, Shiv Kumar Sharma; and SSP Doda, Kartik Shrotriya. Security forces continue to maintain a robust presence in the mountainous areas, conducting coordinated search and area-domination operations to prevent terrorists from exploiting the dense forests and challenging terrain. Officials emphasized that such operations will persist to consolidate the gains made against terrorism in the hilly belt and ensure the region’s continued peace.
Tahir Rihat (also known as Tahir Bilal) is an independent journalist, activist, and digital media professional from the Chenab Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India. He is best known for his work as the Online Editor at The Chenab Times.