GOC Rising Star Corps briefs LG on anti-terrorist operations in Kathua
The GOC was accompanied by Major General Mukesh Bhanwala, GOC Tiger Division.
The Rising Star Corps of the Indian Army said that the joint operation by the Army and J&K Police has led to the recovery of warlike stores yesterday.
Statesman News Service | Jammu | March 25, 2025 4:47 pm
Photo: SNS
As the massive search for the five Pakistani terrorists in the Hiranagar area of the Kathua district entered the third day on Tuesday, the security forces recovered a cache of M-4 rifle magazines, ammunition, eatables, and clothing that was abandoned by the terrorists while escaping from the spot.
The Rising Star Corps of the Indian Army said that the joint operation by the Army and J&K Police has led to the recovery of warlike stores yesterday.
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Security forces have further intensified the cordon and search operation after the recovery of the stores that indicate that the terrorists were heavily armed.
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Sources said that the tracksuits recovered by security forces from the encounter spot in the forest area of the Saniyal village near the international border were identical to those recovered from the three Jaish-e-Mohammad (Kashmir Tigers) terrorists killed during an encounter in Doda on 26 June last year.
These second copies of Adidas jackets had thick red lines that were similar to those that the killed terrorists in Doda were wearing. The terrorists were also carrying a bulletproof jacket and a couple of grenades, sources said.
After a lull of two days, a few gunshots were heard this morning in the cordoned area, sources said.
Drones and sniffer dogs were also deployed in the search operation to nab the terrorists who are believed to have escaped after a brief exchange of fire on 23 March in the Saniyal village.
The five heavily armed terrorists were spotted by a family whom they threatened not to disclose their presence to the security forces. The terrorists had taken hostage a woman, her husband, and their daughter. However, they managed to escape with the husband and the daughter who suffered minor injuries.
Meanwhile, in a major success, a joint operation by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday led to the recovery of a large cache of arms, ammunition, narcotics, and war-like stores in the general area of Sangla Top at Surankote, in the border Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.
A defence spokesman said that the operation was meticulously planned and executed by the security forces after extensive intelligence gathering.
The recovery included a variety of weapons, including assault rifles, grenades, and a significant quantity of ammunition. In addition to the arms, a large amount of narcotic substances, suspected to be linked to cross-border smuggling activities, was also seized. Furthermore, war-like stores, which could potentially aid insurgent activities, were recovered, highlighting the growing concern over the infiltration of arms and drugs into the region.
The success of this operation underscores the commitment of the security forces to neutralise militant threats and curb cross-border terrorism in the region.
The recovery of narcotics is also seen as a significant blow to the illegal drug trade, which has been a growing menace in the region.
Further investigations have been launched into the seized materials to uncover further links and disrupt the supply chains supporting terrorism in the region.
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The GOC was accompanied by Major General Mukesh Bhanwala, GOC Tiger Division.
The armed suspects escaped towards the nearby jungle after consuming the food. However, they forcibly took with them a 13-year-old child who somehow managed to escape from their clutches.
Omar visited the families of the bravehearts, Balvinder Singh, Tariq Ahmad, Jaswant Singh, and Jagbir Singh, who laid down their lives in the line of duty during the Kathua encounter.
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