The Jammu and Kashmir Police have detained six members of a family, including four women, for allegedly assisting militants involved in the Kathua encounter that claimed the lives of four policemen.

Sources reveal that the detained individuals are relatives of an overground worker already imprisoned for aiding militants in last year’s attack on an Army convoy in Kathua’s Badnota village, which resulted in the deaths of five soldiers.

Since March 23, security forces have been tracking militants who allegedly crossed the International Border into Saniyal village in Hiranagar sector. The accused family is believed to have helped them escape to the forests near Jakhole village.

In addition to these six, police had earlier detained six others for questioning in connection with the militant search operation.

The militants initially engaged in a brief exchange of fire with security forces upon crossing the border on March 23 before fleeing Saniyal. Four days later, a joint police and security team encountered them in the forests near Jakhole, killing two militants during a day-long operation, while others reportedly escaped.

The 30-km route from Saniyal to Jakhole suggests that the militants were attempting to reach the Kailash tri-junction, which connects Udhampur, Doda, and Kathua.

On Sunday evening, the militants allegedly forced a local resident in Rajalu village to provide food at gunpoint. One of the residents managed to alert security forces, but by the time they arrived, the militants had fled.

Security forces have now expanded their search operations to the neighboring Samba district and Billawar heights.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh visited the families of slain policemen Jaswant Singh and Balwinder Singh, announcing financial aid of ₹70 lakh per family and government jobs for their kin. He also pledged to construct memorial gates in their honor using his MP fund.