Poonch-Rajouri search ops continue, 3 held
SRINAGAR: Security forces on Sunday detained three people for allegedly providing logistical support to terrorists during an ongoing search operation in the forest belt of Jammu & Kashmir’s Poonch and Rajouri border districts where nine soldiers were killed in two separate gunfights with terrorists over the past week.
“There may be more than one group of terrorists, who have spread in Chamrer and Nar Khas forests. The operations are on to flush them out but it may take time because of the thick jungles,” said a police officer on condition of anonymity.
“We have also detained three people in Bhata Dhurian area on the suspicion of providing logistical support,” said the officer.
It was a matter of investigawhether they provided food and shelter to the terrorists voluntarily or at gunpoint, an official told news agency PTI.
So far, the news agency said, contact with hiding terrorists was established thrice -- first on October 11 in Poonch’s Surankote which was followed by another exchange of fire between the security forces and the fleeing terrorists in the adjoining Thanamandi forest in Rajouri district the same day but the ultras managed their escape in both the encounters.
Five Army personnel, including a junior commissioned officer (JCO), were killed in a fierce gunfight during a counter-insurtion gency operation in Surankote forest on Monday. Four soldiers, including another JCO, died in another encounter in the Nar Khas forest in the Mendhar area of Poonch on Thursday evening.
“The presence of terrorists in the forest area connecting Poonch and Rajouri has observed two-and-a-half months ago and accordingly tactical operations were launched to track them down,” Deputy Inspector General of Police, Rajouri-Poonch range, Vivek Gupta said on Saturday.
The terrorists are holed up and the joint forces are on the job to take the operation to the logical conclusion, he added.
On Sunday, additional director general of police, Jammu zone, Mukesh Singh reached the site of the encounter. The Army has also deployed para-commandos and a helicopter in the area.