Terrorists dig bunkers in orchards, seasonal streams to hide from Army

SHOPIAN (KASHMIR): Hideouts in higher reaches and seeking refuge in local houses are a thing of the past as terrorists in Kashmir valley now dig underground bunkers in dense orchards and even in seasonal streams to escape the dragnet of army and security forces.

“This trend has been witnessed off late in twin districts of Pulwama and Shopian with the latter having a majority of them in view of dense apple orchards and jungles,” says Colonel AK Singh, heading the 44 Rashtriya Rifles, the army’s counter-insurgent unit which earned a distinction of having maximum kills of terrorists as well as surrenders or apprehensions.

SFor Col Singh and his team, who man two areas of Shopian and three of Pulwama districts, both considered to be hotbeds of militancy, the task has not been easy after recovery of underground bunkers where terrorists could hide for several days without being noticed by the security forces.

The shocker was a hideout in the middle of Rambi Ara, known for fluctuating water levels and often affected by flash floods.

“The terrorists were hiding inside an iron bunker made in the middle of Rambi Ara. The alert troops saw an opening of an empty oil barrel which was subsequently used by terrorists to enter into the bunker.

Another interesting hideout was witnessed in Labipora in Shopian where terrorists had covered an iron box on the banks of a river and kept a small pipe for breathing.