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Searches for terrorists involved in Doda encounter continue in Kastigarh area
Two soldiers were on Thursday injured in a gunfight between terrorists and security forces at Kastigarh, where an Indian Army captain and three soldiers were gunned down on Monday night amid a wave of terror attacks
Security forces on Friday intensified their search operations in the Kastigarh area of Doda district to trackdown Pakistan terrorists, believed to be two to three in numbers, said officials.
Two soldiers were on Thursday injured in a gunfight between terrorists and security forces at Kastigarh, where an Indian Army captain and three soldiers were gunned down on Monday night amid a wave of terror attacks.
“Following rains and foggy weather on Thursday, which badly reduced visibility in the jungles, we had to suspend our search operations. However, we resumed operations with first light on Friday as weather has turned stable,” a senior police officer said.
“We suspect that there are two to three terrorists hiding in the jungles of Kastigarh and we are hopeful of getting success this time,” he added
On the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, a fresh gunfight was triggered during searches amid high alert and following a suspicious movement in Kastigarh around 3.40 am.
A contact was established with terrorists, who opened fire. During the initial gunfight, two soldiers were injured.
The terrorists involved in the Kastigarh gunfight are believed to be the same who carried out Monday’s attack on an Army search party in the Desa forest.
Additional reinforcements have been rushed to the area even as one Showket Ali was arrested for allegedly providing food and sheltering three terrorists days before the Desa attack. “It is not clear as yet whether the three terrorists Ali harboured at his house carried out Monday’s attack in Desa forest or there was another group involved,” said a person aware of the matter.
Security forces suspect several smaller groups of two to three terrorists have managed to infiltrate into the mountainous district of Doda.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday said that they have intensified their crackdown on what they described as an overground worker (OGW) network in Doda and arrested three suspects following terror attacks in June and July. The three were identified as Mubashir Hussain, Safder Ali, and Sajad Ahmed.
Security forces late Thursday arrested another OGW identified as Munir taking the total OGWs arrested so far to five.
Munir was arrested for helping terrorists with stay, food and communication access, said official privy to the investigations.
“Munir helped terrorists who carried out an attack on an Indian Army patrol team in Desa village of Doda on July 15 where captain Brijesh Thapa and three soldiers were killed,” he added.
The five arrested have been identified as Munir, Showket, Safdar, Mubashir and Sajad.
Meanwhile, additional director general of police law and order Vijay Kumar, visited Rajouri to oversee anti terror operations in Jammu region.
It has been learnt that Kumar will visit all terror-hit districts of Jammu region in a phased manner. He was accompanied by ADGP Jammu, Anand Jain.
Spike in terror attacks across Jammu has made the region a new terror hub.
The latest attack was the fourth in the forests of Doda in the past three weeks and 12th in Jammu this year so far, in which 12 security personnel including a village defence guard and 10 civilians have been killed. Five terrorists have also been killed.
