Terrorist hideout busted in Poonch, seven IEDS seized

SEIZURE WAS MADE DURING A SEARCH OPERATION ON SUNDAY FOLLOWING INFO ABOUT MOVEMENT OF SUSPICIOUS PEOPLE IN A SURANKOTE FOREST

JAMMU: Following a two-day search operation, security forces on Tuesday seized seven improvised explosive devices (IEDS) and a wireless set from a terrorist hideout in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, officials said.

The seizure was made during a search operation that was launched by security forces, comprising army and special operations group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police, on Sunday following information from villagers about the movement of suspicious people in a forest in Surankote, they said.

“The search operation has been called off. Seven IEDS were recovered from a hideout in the forest area of Surankote,” said defence spokesman Lt Col Devender Anand, adding that a group of four to five suspected terrorists, with whom the security forces had a brief encounter late Monday, managed to escape.

Besides seven IEDS, the security forces also recovered a wireless set and a gas cylinder from an abandoned hideout in the Dhari forests.

POWERFUL IED DETECTED ON JAMMU-POONCH NH

A major tragedy was averted with timely detection of a powerful IED on the Jammu-poonch National Highway on Tuesday morning, officials said.

The IED, suspected to have been planted by terrorists to trigger an explosion, was found by an army patrolling party near Kallar Morh in the border district of Poonch and was subsequently destroyed by the bomb disposal squad, the officials said.

Movement of traffic on the busy highway was suspended for some time, officials said, adding that a massive search operation is underway to sanitise the area and track down the terrorists who planted the explosive device.