Sajid Raina
Kishtwar, Jan 30: Security forces on Friday intensified a multi-agency anti-terror operation in the snowbound Chatroo area in Kishtwar district to track down a small group of terrorists believed to be linked to the Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).
Officials said that elite Army units, including paratroopers and Rashtriya Rifles personnel, supported by Jammu and Kashmir Police, aerial surveillance teams and sniffer dogs, have been deployed across dense forests and high-altitude terrain.
“Checkpoints have been strengthened and vehicle searches intensified across the district as part of the ongoing operation,” they said.
“The operation, which began on January 18, is focused on rugged forested areas where two to three suspected terrorists are believed to be hiding. Troops have been combing the region despite challenging conditions, including over two feet of snowfall and steep, thickly vegetated slopes.
Searches are being carried out during daylight hours, with night operations limited to reduce risks to civilians, officials said.
The crackdown was launched following an encounter in the Sonnar forest near Mandrel Singhpora on January 18, when security forces acting on intelligence inputs came under heavy fire.
During the initial gunfight, an Army paratrooper, Havildar Gajendra Singh, lost his life, while several soldiers sustained injuries. Three critically wounded personnel were later evacuated for specialised medical treatment.
Officials said the terrorists used grenades and heavy firing in an attempt to break the cordon before retreating deeper into the forest under the cover of terrain and darkness.
Security forces re-established contact with the group on January 22, leading to fresh exchanges of fire. Additional firefights were reported in the Mali Dana top area on January 22 and Janseer Kandiwar on January 25, but the militants managed to evade capture.
Security sources said preliminary assessments indicate the group includes foreign militants who are well-armed, mobile and prepared to use explosives to escape encirclement.
During searches, forces also detected a suspected militant hideout, though details of recoveries have not been officially disclosed.
As part of the operation, agencies are probing possible local support networks. Several individuals have been detained for questioning to ascertain whether logistical assistance, including food supplies, was provided to the terrorists.
Meanwhile, as a precautionary measure, the Jammu and Kashmir Home Department ordered the temporary suspension of mobile internet services within a six-kilometre radius of Singhpora, Chingam and Chatroo.
The suspension, affecting all mobile data services from 2G to 5G, was imposed following inputs from the police to prevent misuse of communication networks during the operation.
Officials said the restrictions, extended till 11.59 pm on January 30, were imposed in the interest of security, public order and the sovereignty and integrity of the country.
