Kathua Operation: Search for Concealed Terrorists Ongoing, Ammunition Seized
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Synopsis
The search for hiding terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district continues on the third day of an ongoing operation, with arms and ammunition recovered from the site. Joint forces are working to neutralize threats while ensuring the safety of local residents.
Key Takeaways
- Ongoing operation in Kathua district
- Arms and ammunition recovered
- Joint forces involved in search
- Local residents providing crucial intel
- Security measures heightened due to recent violence
Jammu, March 25 (NationPress) The ongoing operation aimed at locating concealed terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district has entered its third day as of Tuesday, with arms and ammunition having been seized from the operation site.
Officials reported on Monday that several rounds of gunfire were again detected in the Sanyal area in Hiranagar, where security forces initiated a search operation on Sunday evening (March 23).
“Ammunition was confiscated yesterday from the site, and the area remains under tight security. Further details are pending,” officials stated.
An army communiqué indicated that the collaborative operation between the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Rising Star Corps of the Indian Army in Saniyal, Hiranagar on March 23 resulted in the recovery of military-grade supplies.
“Operations are ongoing,” the Rising Star Corps noted on its X handle, sharing an image of the seized weapons.
The operation was initiated by joint forces after a local resident, Anita Devi, and her husband Ganesh Kumar spotted the terrorists while gathering firewood in the forest.
Based on this intelligence, joint forces launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in Sanyal village near the International Border in the Hiranagar sector of Kathua district.
“As the joint forces, including the Army, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), approached the hiding terrorists, they came under fire, resulting in an encounter,” officials reported.
A 7-year-old girl suffered injuries during the crossfire on Sunday and was swiftly transported to the hospital. Medical staff confirmed her condition is stable.
DGP Nalin Prabhat, along with Bhim Sen Tuti, IGP (Jammu), arrived at the operation site on Sunday evening to oversee the mission against the barricaded terrorists in Sanyal village, located merely 4 km from the International Border with Pakistan.
There was no exchange of fire between the terrorists and security forces from 7 p.m. on Sunday until Tuesday morning, after which sporadic gunfire was reported from within the secured area.
“The entire forested region, where it is believed that three to five terrorists are hiding, has been cordoned off,” officials stated.
The International Border between India and Pakistan lies within the district, where there have been prior attempts by terrorists to infiltrate into Indian territory.
Recently, three civilians—Darshan Singh, 40, Yogesh Singh, 32, and Varun Singh, 14—went missing on March 5 while returning from a wedding in Marhoon village.
Their bodies were discovered on March 8 near a waterfall on the periphery of an escarpment in a forested area following extensive searches involving the Army, police, drones, and sniffer dogs.
“The horrific murder of three relatives by terrorists in the Bani area of Kathua is profoundly tragic and a significant concern,” remarked Union Minister Jitendra Singh in a post on X.
Following this incident, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan visited Jammu on March 9, where he led a high-level security meeting regarding the safe and peaceful Amarnath Yatra set to commence on July 3, along with the upcoming inauguration of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL).
The Home Secretary emphasized the security landscape in the Jammu division, providing comprehensive directives regarding the overall safety situation in the union territory.
Initially concentrated in Poonch and Rajouri districts, terrorist activities have now spread to other regions of Jammu, including areas previously considered safe from such incidents, like Chenab Valley and Udhampur and Kathua. In past incidents, well-trained terrorists have ambushed vehicles and employed grenades and armor-piercing rounds, along with M4 assault rifles.
Sources indicate that the deployment of advanced weaponry by terrorists suggests a notable increase in the threat level.
Analysts highlight that over the past few years, the Pir Panjal region, which separates the Kashmir Valley from Jammu, has experienced a rise in militant activities as anti-terror operations in Kashmir have driven terrorists into the mountains, where they lay in wait for opportune moments to launch attacks against security forces.
