Search ops continue in Kathua, Rajouri, Poonch & Kishtwar

A combing operation to track down three escaped terrorists entered its second day on Friday, with security agencies strengthening the multi-layered cordon in Udhampur district

Amid ongoing search operations, security forces, on Friday, launched massive searches in Chann Arorian area of Kathua district after a local woman claimed of seeing four suspects in black clothes and backpacks, said officials.

A search is on in the Chatroo area of Kishtwar, Triyath area of Rajouri district, adjoining areas of Lakhanpur in Kathua district, and Lasana of Poonch district. (HT representative)

Kathua senior superintendent of police Shobhit Saxena said, “We received an information about sighting of suspected persons in Rajbagh area. Immediately joint forces of army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF were reoriented to respond to the sighting. Search operations are underway.”

Meanwhile, a combing operation to track down three escaped terrorists entered its second day on Friday, with security agencies strengthening the multi-layered cordon in Udhampur district.

Security forces have also launched search operations in Kishtwar, Rajouri and Poonch districts.

“The search operation by the army, police and CRPF special forces has been ongoing in Dudu-Basantgarh. It is underway to track down the terrorists on the run,” said a security official. The operation is backed by aerial surveillance by a chopper and drones.

On Thursday, a soldier of the special forces of the army was killed in an encounter with terrorists in the Dadu-Basantgarh belt. The soldier was Havaldar Jhantu Ali Sheikh of 6 Para of the Special Forces.

A search is on in the Chatroo area of Kishtwar, Triyath area of Rajouri district, adjoining areas of Lakhanpur in Kathua district, and Lasana of Poonch district.

Security review meet held

A security review meeting chaired by divisional commissioner Ramesh Kumar and IGP Bhim Sen Tuti was held in Doda on Friday to review the security situation and operational preparedness of the region.

There have been seven encounters in the Kathua-Udhampur-Kishtwar region of Jammu province over the past month, resulting in the deaths of five terrorists and five security personnel.