An unending chase has been going on in the higher reaches of Kathua and Udhampur districts of Jammu region for the last twelve (12) days to hunt down a group of Pakistani terrorists. So far, the success has remained elusive.
A recent assessment of the security forces claimed the group of terrorists who are still at large seems highly trained in the ‘jungle’ warfare. Even after establishing the initial contact on multiple occasions, the security forces have failed to pin them down and neutralise them. The terrorists, cornered by the security forces, managed to breach the cordon on multiple occasions, taking advantage of the tough terrain and thick foliage.
Multiple agencies led by the Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir police, NSG Commandos, para commandos of the Indian army, CRPF, and BSF personnel are continuously combing the upper reaches to neutralise these terrorists. The special forces have also deployed drones, sniffer dogs, and high-end surveillance gadgets to look out for their footprints, but in vain.
Intelligence agencies are also working tirelessly and quizzing sympathisers and active overground workers to generate ‘human int’ to trace the footprints of these terrorists hiding in the upper reaches of ‘Jammu heights’.
After these terrorists managed to slip out of the tight cordon from village Sanyal of Hiranagar on March 23, they were trapped inside the thickly forested belt of Juthana on March 27. However, during the 30-hour-long operation, the security forces managed to neutralise only two Pakistani terrorists. They
too suffered heavy collateral damage in the form of sacrificing the lives of
four policemen. Since then, these Pakistani terrorists have twice knocked on the doors of local villagers in the Rui village near Juthana forests and Chore Panjian-Khabal village of Majalta Tehsil, Udhampur, near the Udhampur-Kathua border, even then the security forces continue to chase them in search of their footprints.
According to a senior security personnel involved in these ongoing anti-terror operations, the Pakistani terrorists have been surviving despite coming on the radar of the security forces.
On Thursday,massive search and combing operations were launched in the Majalta tehsil of Udhampur after a family raised an alarm that two terrorists had visited their home at night and stayed there for a longer duration. They ate dinner and also demanded clothes before fleeing along with one mobile phone.
Briefing media persons, Deputy Inspector General of Police Udhampur-Reasi range Rayees Mohd Bhat said a search operation is currently underway in Chore Panjian - Khabal village of Majalta Tehsil, Udhampur, near the Udhampur-Kathua border. The searches were launched after two suspected persons allegedly held a family hostage, took food and a mobile phone, and fled.
According to local reports, a family from Masala informed security forces that around 8 PM, two suspects entered their house, stayed for two hours, and held them hostage. After having food and taking a mobile phone, the suspects fled the scene.
