Lt Gen Pratik Sharma (C) being shown live images sent from a drone during Operation Sheruwali. (Photo: Indian Army)
Jammu/New Delhi: Intermittent firing resumed in the Gambhir Mughlan forest area of Rajouri district on Thursday and Friday as the counterinsurgency operation entered its seventh consecutive day, with security forces launching fresh fire assaults and multiple grenade launcher (MGL) attacks on suspected militant hideouts. The operation has been named Operation Sheruwali (also spelled Operation Sherawali).
Sounds of gunfire and explosions were heard from a distance as security forces – including the Army, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu & Kashmir Police, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) – pressed on with extensive search operations against militants first spotted in the area last Saturday.
According to preliminary intelligence, two to three Pakistani nationals, including a commander-level operative, are believed to be concealed within the heavily forested Dorimal-Gambhir Mughlan belt of the Manjakote area. No official confirmation of casualties has been issued, though one militant is suspected to have sustained injuries, given the blood traces found near a hideout during an earlier contact.
Officials said the fresh assault targeted suspected positions in the Dorimal-Gambhir Mughlan belt, as the cordon was progressively tightened. Thick plumes of smoke were visible rising from the forest following the firing and MGL strikes, suggesting the targeted locations had been hit. Sources indicated that some of the firing was speculative, directed at areas where troop movement had been detected.
Northern Army chief visits operation zone
The Northern Command of the Army is closely monitoring the operation. On Wednesday, the Northern Command chief, Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, visited the Gambhir Mughlan area to review the operational situation and assess the progress of Operation Sheruwali. In a post on X [archived link], the Northern Command said Lt Gen Sharma interacted with representatives of Army formations, the J&K Police, the Intelligence Bureau, the CRPF, and other stakeholders to review the evolving operational dynamics and strengthen inter-agency coordination. He also met troops deployed in the area, commending their resolve and commitment in challenging conditions, and emphasized mission focus and operational precision.
The visit by the Northern Command chief signals the seriousness with which the Army views the operation. Rajouri and the adjoining Poonch district have witnessed a marked resurgence in militant activity over the past two years, with several forest-based encounters dragging on for days – a pattern that reflects both the difficult terrain and the tactical adaptability of the militants involved.
Reinforcements rushed in
The operation is being carried out jointly by the Army, the J&K Police, and the CRPF, with extensive aerial and ground surveillance support. Helicopters, drones, and sniffer dogs have been deployed to scan the rugged and heavily forested terrain. The operation zone has been further fortified with additional troop deployment, while security checks on roads leading to the area have also been intensified to prevent any possible escape or external support reaching the militants.
Security forces had been following blood traces believed to have been left by the fleeing militants since Monday and have been tracking their suspected movement closely. On that day, forces also dismantled a hideout following a brief exchange of fire, after the cordon was tightened around the area where the blood traces were first detected.
How the operation began
Operation Sheruwali was launched on Saturday after a joint team initiated a large-scale cordon-and-search operation in the Singhpora-Chatroo area, acting on specific intelligence about the movement of suspected militants. Contact was established with the militants during the initial phase, triggering a brief exchange of fire. The militants subsequently evaded capture, exploiting the dense foliage, difficult topography, and fading light, which prompted the security forces to extend the search into the rugged and heavily forested terrain.
The Manjakote sector of Rajouri, where the operation is concentrated, comprises deep forest cover with limited road access and significant elevation variation – conditions that have historically been exploited by militants to evade capture and re-supply. The Army has increasingly relied on drone surveillance and aerial reconnaissance in such terrain, particularly following a series of ambushes on security personnel in the Pir Panjal range over recent years.
Operation Sheruwali is unfolding weeks after Operation Sindoor’s anniversary. India’s May 2025 strikes on terrorist infrastructure inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir significantly raised the operational tempo along the line of control (LoC) and across it.
No outcome has been officially declared as of the filing of this report. The operation is ongoing.
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