It was not a one-day encounter headline. It became a long, demanding anti-terror search in the Dorimal-Gambhir Mughlan forest belt of Rajouri, where the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF were reported to be jointly involved after specific inputs about suspected terrorist movement.

What is Operation Sheruwali?

Operation Sheruwali is the name given to a joint counter-terror operation in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir.

As per media reports, the operation was launched after security forces received inputs about the possible movement or presence of suspected terrorists in the forested area. The operation involved the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF.

The area mentioned in reports includes the Gambhir Mughlan and Dorimal forest belt in the Manjakote sector of Rajouri. This is not easy ground. Forest cover, ridgelines, gorges, weather and limited visibility can slow down even the most trained teams.

That is why Operation Sheruwali must be understood as a terrain-heavy search and cordon mission, not merely as a brief exchange of fire.

When was Operation Sheruwali launched?

Reports indicate that Operation Sheruwali was launched on 23 May 2026.

The operation began after intelligence-based inputs and contact with suspected terrorists in the general area of Gambhir Mughlan. Some reports mention that the movement of two to three suspected terrorists or infiltrators was believed to be present in the area.

From that point, the operation continued for several days.

This is important because many readers often ask why such operations take so long. In forest and mountain terrain, speed is not always the safest option. Security forces have to balance aggression with caution, movement with surveillance and pressure with protection of their own teams.

Why Rajouri’s terrain makes such operations difficult?

A counter-terror operation in open ground and a counter-terror operation in forested mountain terrain are completely different challenges.

In the Rajouri belt, the ground itself becomes part of the operation.

Dense foliage can hide movement. Steep slopes can slow down troops. Narrow ridge lines can become dangerous during movement. Deep gorges create additional risk. Weather can reduce visibility. Suspected terrorists may shift positions using natural cover.

For security forces, the challenge is not only to locate the target. The challenge is to hold the cordon, move carefully, keep communication active, avoid unnecessary exposure and prevent escape routes from opening.

This is where operational endurance matters.

The joint role of Army, J&K Police and CRPF

Operation Sheruwali also highlights the importance of joint security work.

The Army brings combat experience, field endurance and terrain operations capability. Jammu and Kashmir Police bring local intelligence, ground familiarity and civil-security coordination. CRPF adds additional manpower, area domination and support to sustained operations.

In counter-terror missions, no single agency works in isolation. Coordination becomes the difference between scattered action and focused pressure.

A long operation requires teams to hold ground day after day. It requires fresh reinforcements, surveillance, logistics, medical preparedness and continuous assessment by commanders.

Use of drones, helicopters and sniffer dogs

Reports mention that helicopters, drones and sniffer dogs were used during the operation.

This shows how modern counter-terror operations are no longer dependent only on foot patrols and visual search. Surveillance tools help identify movement, scan difficult pockets and support troops operating in risky areas.

But technology does not remove the need for soldiers on the ground.

A drone may observe. A helicopter may assist. A sniffer dog may track. But finally, it is the man on the slope, the ridge, the forest line and the cordon who carries the immediate risk.

That is the reality of ground operations.

Lt Beereshwar Goswami’s sacrifice

Operation Sheruwali also brought a painful reminder of the risks carried by soldiers during such missions.

News reports state that Lieutenant Beereshwar Goswami lost his life after slipping into a deep gorge while undertaking operational duties in the Rajouri area during the ongoing anti-terror operation. Reports also state that he was part of the troops engaged in Operation Sheruwali and that homage was paid to him with military honours.

His death shows something that is often forgotten by people outside uniform.

In counter-terror operations, danger does not come only from enemy fire. The terrain can be equally unforgiving. A narrow ridge, loose ground, a blind slope, darkness or bad weather can become life-threatening within seconds.

Lt Beereshwar Goswami’s sacrifice must therefore be remembered with dignity, not as a passing detail in an encounter update.