Jammu and Kashmir police on Saturday released sketches of four militants believed to be hiding in Kathua forests, more than a month after an attack that killed five soldiers in the area.
The police’s move points to a disturbing trend of how the biggest hunt for militants in the region in years is not moving beyond forensic art.
The police in Jammu released sketches of four militants spotted in “dhoks” (mudhouses) and announced a cash reward of ₹20 lakh for actionable information on them. A massive operation is underway to arrest them, sources said.
“Kathua police releases sketches of 4 terrorists who were last seen in dhoks of Malhar, Bani and Seojdhar. A reward of ₹5 lakh on each terrorist for actionable information. Anyone with credible information of terrorists will also be suitably rewarded,” the Kathua police said on X.
They are believed to be involved in the July 8 militant ambush on an army patrol at Machedi in Kathua in which five soldiers, including a junior commissioned officer, were killed.
Militants have carried out nearly a dozen attacks in the Jammu region comprising 10 districts since the June 9 swearing-in of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leaving nine civilians and 10 security personnel dead and dozens injured. Security forces have also killed five militants during this period. They include three major attacks in Reasi, Kathau and Doda in which nine civilians and as many soldiers were killed.
The last major attack in Jammu was carried out in Doda on July 15 in which an army captain and three soldiers were killed.
The police have released sketches of militants involved in most of these attacks but success has largely eluded them.
Officials had released the sketch of a militant involved in the killings of nine Shiv Khori civilians on June 11, two days after the attack and announced a reward of ₹20 lakh for information on him. On July 27, the police released a sketch of three militants believed to be involved in the July 16 attack in Doda that killed the captain and three jawans. A reward of ₹15 lakh was announced.
