J&K: Forces bust terrorist hideout in Shopian, arms and ammunition recovered

During the search operation, terrorists lobbed grenades at the search party and escaped taking advantage of the darkness.

The security forces launched a cordon and search operation (CASO) at Kutpora in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian, informed the Kashmir Zone Police on Wednesday.

Security forces patrol the area outside the house of Sunil Kumar, who belonged to the Kashmiri Pandit community, and was shot dead by militants inside an apple orchard, in the Chotipora area of Shopian, some 60 kms south of Srinagar, on August 16, 2022.  (Waseem Andrabi/ Hindustan Times)

During the search operation, terrorists lobbed grenades at the search party and escaped taking advantage of the darkness.

However, police and security forces busted a hideout inside a house and recovered arms and ammunition.

The Kashmir Zone Police tweeted, "On specific input Security Forces launched a CASO in Kutpora, #Shopian. During search, #terrorists lobbed grenades on the search party. Search party also retaliated. However terrorists escaped due to darkness. Police & SFs busted a #hideout inside a house & recovered Arms/Amns."

Meanwhile, a Kashmiri Pandit was shot dead and his brother injured after terrorists shot at them at an apple orchard in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Tuesday.

The incident happened at an apple orchard in the Chotipora area.

The deceased has been identified as Sunil Kumar Bhat. His brother Pintu has sustained injuries.

Terrorists have resorted to targeted killings in the Valley. In June 2022, a bank manager, identified as Vijay Kumar, was shot dead outside his office by terrorists in the Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. Before that, on May 31, Rajni Bala, a female Hindu teacher, was shot dead by terrorists in Kashmir's Kulgam district.

That same month two civilians, including Kashmiri Pandit employee Rahul Bhat, and three off-duty policemen were killed in Kashmir by terrorists.