Jammu, January 21, 2026 – In a stark revelation highlighting potential local complicity in terrorism, Indian security forces uncovered a fortified terrorist hideout in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district stocked with government-subsidized food supplies intended for the poor. The discovery came during Operation TRASHI-I, which claimed the life of Havildar Gajendra Singh of the elite 2 PARA Special Forces (SF) and left seven others injured.
The encounter erupted on the night of January 18-19 in the Singhpora area, where suspected Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militants, backed by Pakistan, ambushed a search team with grenades and gunfire. Havildar Singh, hailing from Kapkote in Uttarakhand’s Bageshwar district, succumbed to his injuries while leading the operation against a group believed to have been operating in the region for 2-3 months. The White Knight Corps paid tribute to the fallen soldier, stating he made the “supreme sacrifice while gallantly executing a counter-terrorism operation.” His mortal remains were laid to rest with full military honors in his native village on January 21.
Following the clash, which entered its third day with drones, sniffer dogs, and helicopters deployed, forces located and dismantled a Kargil-style bunker at an elevation of nearly 12,000 feet in the Sonnar village forests. The hideout, fortified with stone walls and stocked for prolonged winter survival, contained an array of supplies: bags of wheat, bajra, and dal bearing markings from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) scheme, including stamps from the Government of Punjab. Additionally, recoveries according to sources included 50 packets of Maggi noodles, crates of fresh vegetables such as tomatoes and potatoes, 20 kg of premium basmati rice, 15 varieties of spices, eggs, dry fruits, desi ghee, two full-size LPG cylinders with a burner, and stacks of dry wood.
Security experts and officials have pointed to these findings as evidence of local support networks aiding the militants. “It’s common sense that the terrorists didn’t bring these items from across the border,” noted a defense analyst, emphasizing that the welfare rations—funded by taxpayers and meant for the underprivileged—are being diverted to sustain anti-national elements. Former Jammu and Kashmir DGP Shesh Paul Vaid highlighted the improbability of such supplies originating from Pakistan, stating, “These things cannot come from Pakistan. Someone purchased them, transported them, and stocked them.” The presence of cooked biryani remnants in the bunker further suggests comfortable, sustained operations rather than mere survival, prompting investigations into overground workers (OGWs) and supply chains.
Beyond logistics, intelligence inputs indicate that locals may have provided real-time information on troop movements, enabling the grenade attack that led to casualties. “Terrorism cannot be eliminated unless the internal support system is dealt with as firmly as the external one,” echoed sentiments from security circles, highlights the need for stringent action against enablers within the community.
The operation, involving the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and CRPF, continues amid heightened Republic Day security alerts. No terrorists have been neutralized yet, but the busting of the bunker marks a significant disruption to JeM’s plans in the region. The incident has reignited debates on countering hybrid threats, where external militancy thrives on internal facilitation.
Havildar Singh’s sacrifice has drawn nationwide tributes, with his funeral drawing crowds chanting patriotic slogans. As investigations deepen, authorities vow to dismantle the ecosystem sustaining terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
