JAMMU: The intensive combing operation launched in the upper reaches of J&K’s Udhampur district — after security forces cornered a group of three to four terrorists in the dense forests of Basantgarh, leading to a shootout amid heavy rain Tuesday afternoon — entered its second day on Wednesday, even as another search operation was initiated in Rajouri district following intelligence inputs about the movement of two suspects.
Early Tuesday, a joint team of the Army, CRPF and police launched a seek-and-kill operation following information about terrorists hiding in Basantgarh’s Pathi Nalla Khaned area. Sporadic gunfire took place in the upper reaches of Khaned after contact was established that afternoon. Following the intermittent fire exchange, the security forces cordoned off the area and launched a massive search operation to locate the holed-up terrorists. Reinforcements were rushed in Wednesday morning to expand the cordon and intensify the operation.
Meanwhile, security forces launched a combing operation in Diyar Gala forest of Kalakote in Rajouri district on Wednesday following information about the movement of two suspects — one of whom was said to be injured. Pertinently, one terrorist was injured in an encounter with security forces in Gunda village in Rajouri’s Budhal area on July 22, when a group of terrorists had attacked the house of Shaurya Chakra recipient Parshottam Kumar. In this attack, an Army jawan and a relative of Kumar were also injured. The injured terrorist had managed to escape with help of an accomplice.
In yet another search operation, Army personnel recovered a rusty UBGL shell near Chandimarh River in Surankote in Poonch district.
Security forces have been combing the interiors of Jammu division following a spurt in terrorist violence since June 9 when an ambush on a pilgrim bus in Reasi district left nine people dead. Security forces lost 11 men — 10 soldiers and one CRPF head constable — in subsequent attacks in Kathua and Doda districts.
On July 10, terrorists attacked a police picket in Basantgarh and fled. Earlier, a village defence guard named M Sharif was killed during a gunfight between security forces and terrorists in Panara village of Basantgarh on April 28.
The Udhampur-Samba-Kathua region, sharing a border and characterised by thick forests and mountainous terrain, provide terrorists with ample cover to evade detection. Terrorists crossing the Pakistan border had been known to use the Bani-Basantgarh route from Kathua as a conduit to enter Doda and then proceed to Kashmir valley.
Early Tuesday, a joint team of the Army, CRPF and police launched a seek-and-kill operation following information about terrorists hiding in Basantgarh’s Pathi Nalla Khaned area. Sporadic gunfire took place in the upper reaches of Khaned after contact was established that afternoon. Following the intermittent fire exchange, the security forces cordoned off the area and launched a massive search operation to locate the holed-up terrorists. Reinforcements were rushed in Wednesday morning to expand the cordon and intensify the operation.
Meanwhile, security forces launched a combing operation in Diyar Gala forest of Kalakote in Rajouri district on Wednesday following information about the movement of two suspects — one of whom was said to be injured. Pertinently, one terrorist was injured in an encounter with security forces in Gunda village in Rajouri’s Budhal area on July 22, when a group of terrorists had attacked the house of Shaurya Chakra recipient Parshottam Kumar. In this attack, an Army jawan and a relative of Kumar were also injured. The injured terrorist had managed to escape with help of an accomplice.
In yet another search operation, Army personnel recovered a rusty UBGL shell near Chandimarh River in Surankote in Poonch district.
Security forces have been combing the interiors of Jammu division following a spurt in terrorist violence since June 9 when an ambush on a pilgrim bus in Reasi district left nine people dead. Security forces lost 11 men — 10 soldiers and one CRPF head constable — in subsequent attacks in Kathua and Doda districts.
On July 10, terrorists attacked a police picket in Basantgarh and fled. Earlier, a village defence guard named M Sharif was killed during a gunfight between security forces and terrorists in Panara village of Basantgarh on April 28.
The Udhampur-Samba-Kathua region, sharing a border and characterised by thick forests and mountainous terrain, provide terrorists with ample cover to evade detection. Terrorists crossing the Pakistan border had been known to use the Bani-Basantgarh route from Kathua as a conduit to enter Doda and then proceed to Kashmir valley.
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