June 5, 2026 –
The cordon and search operation in the dense forests of Dori Maal, located in the Gambhir Mughlan area of Rajouri district, ground on into its thirteenth consecutive day on Friday — a duration that reflects both the difficulty of the terrain and the determination of security agencies to eliminate what they believe is an active militant presence in the area. The operation, now one of the longest sustained anti-terror missions in the Pir Panjal range in recent memory, involves coordinated deployment of the Indian Army, J&K Police Special Operations Group, and the CRPF.
The operation was launched following an intelligence-based tip-off that resulted in initial contact between search teams and militants believed to be sheltering in the thickly forested hillside. Since then, the operation has continued with drone surveillance, thermal imaging, and sniffer dog teams working through demanding terrain. The high forest cover in Rajouri and Poonch’s Pir Panjal belt has historically given militants significant operational depth, and this operation — increasingly referred to in some circles as part of broader “Operation Sheruwali” — is a bid to disrupt those entrenched networks.
For residents of the Gambhir Mughlan area, the prolonged military presence has brought disruption to daily life, with restricted movement and heightened checkpoints. Security analysts note that while the duration of the operation signals logistical challenges, the very act of sustained pressure limits militant freedom of movement and disrupts supply and communication lines.
