A joint team of security forces Friday eliminated two more Jaish-e- Mohammad terrorists in Yedipora area of Pattan in the Baramulla district. According to police the slain terrorists were planning to target the Army's Agniveer recruitment rally in the area in order to discourage youth from joining the ranks of the Indian armed forces.
Meanwhile, the security forces also recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition close to the line of control in the Gurez sector of Bandipora district at the end of the three day long searches. According to a Srinagar based Defence spokesman, "a hideout was found along the Nala on 29 Sep 2022, very close to the Line of Control. On digging, a huge weapon cache of 07 AK Rifles, 02 Chinese Pistols, 13 Chinese Grenades, 21 AK magazines, 04 pistol magazines, 1190 AK ammunition and 132 Pistol ammunition were recovered".
Sharing details of the Yedipora operation, Senior Superintendent of Police, Baramulla, Rayees Bhat told reporters, "a cordon and search operation was launched by the security forces in the Yedipora area of Pattan in the early hours of Friday after information was received from intelligence agencies about the presence of terrorists there".
“During the searches, the terrorists opened fire and an encounter ensued.Durign the heavy exchange of firing both the terrorists were killed,” the SSP said.
Bhat said the terrorists were planning to target the Army’s Agniveer recruitment rally which concluded in Pattan’s Hyderbeig on Thursday.
“The information we have is that they (terrorists) had reached here to target the Army’s Agniveer (recruitment) rally and they were planning to disturb the youth who are trying to join the mainstream and to make this rally unsuccessful. But we foiled their plans,” he said.
The security forces also recovered an AKS-74U rifle from the encounter site along with three magazines, a pistol, a pistol magazine and two bullets, he said.
Referring to the recovery of weapons, Defence spokesman said, "recovery of this large size of war like stores close to the Line of Control has given a major setback to the terrorist groups attempting to fuel violence in Kashmir Valley and has prevented unrest and loss of innocent lives".
According to police sources, these weapons were likely dropped at Line of Control for being picked up by the terrorists and anti-national elements on the Indian side and further transported to Bandipora and other areas in hinterland.
Another encounter broke out in Chitragam in south Kashmir’s Shopian district in the early hours of Friday following a cordon and search operation in the area, police spokesman said.