People asked not to visit Rajouri forests wearing blankets during night hours
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU/POONCH/RAJOURI: A Hizbul Mujahideen operative was arrested as the security forces conducted search operations in different parts of Poonch, Rajouri, Kishtwar and Doda districts in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, officials said.
Abdul Khalil, a resident of north Kashmir’s Bandipora, was arrested from Surankote area of Poonch district during an anti-terrorist operation, the officials said.
A pistol and some ammunition were recovered from the possession of Khalil, who is working as a guide to facilitate infiltrating terrorists of proscribed Hizbul Mujahideen terror outfit, they said.
The officials said that a mobile phone with multiple Pakistani SIM cards were also recovered from the possession of the arrested terror operative.
Meanwhile, the security forces have launched a cordon and search operation following information about movement of two suspected terrorists in a remote village in Poonch district, officials said this afternoon.
The two armed suspects, dressed in black, were seen moving in Salampura village near Dehra Ki Gali late Monday night, they said.
Police assisted by the Rashtriya Rifles and CRPF launched a joint operation immediately after getting the information.
The suspected terrorists were seen moving towards lower Pangai, they said, adding the search operation is underway but there was no contact with the suspected terrorists so far.
The officials said security forces also launched a search operation at Sanai, Jangal, Pattan and adjoining villages in Surankote area of Poonch and Bangar-Saroor forest in Drabshalla area of Kishtwar district this morning.
The security forces also conducted a precautionary search operation in Rajouri town, which has seen 15 terror attacks in the last 50 days.
Under the prevailing security situation and high alert, security forces conducted a precautionary search operation in the main town of Rajouri last evening, the officials said.
This operation was carried out by the Jammu and Kashmir Police and its Special Operations Group, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), they said.
The officials said a sniffer dog of the CRPF and a bomb disposal squad of the police were also present.
On Monday evening, security forces also conducted a multi-agency security table top exercise (MASTT) to review the security situation in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts, a defence spokesman said.
“To review the security situation in Jammu, Samba and Kathua region, a MASTT exercise was conducted at the Samba military station. The conference was attended by all stakeholders from security forces and intelligence agencies”, he said.
The security agencies brainstormed and deliberated on various probable security scenarios and instituted measures to employ the full spectrum of counter-terror capabilities in a synergised manner, he said.
The successful conduct of this joint exercise demonstrates the commitment of all agencies to ensure safety and security in the Jammu region, he said.
In a related development, the authorities in Rajouri district have advised people not to visit the forest areas wearing shawls and blankets during night hours to avoid any untoward incident amid intensified anti-terror operations,.
The advisory has been issued by Additional District Magistrate Rajeev Kumar Khajuria on the request of the army, which informed the civil administration about some civilians roaming in the forest areas or their fields wearing shawls and blankets during night hours.
“General public is hereby informed that no person shall visit, roam in the forest area during late and night hours from 9 pm to 4 am, wearing shawls and blankets,” Khajuria said in an official notice.
The movement has been strictly prohibited without prior permission from concerned army and police authorities in order to avoid any mishap or untoward incident, he said. Security forces are undertaking frequent search operations in the forests of Rajouri and adjoining Poonch district to track down and neutralize the terrorists, who have managed to infiltrate from across the border and are hiding in the areas.
