Arms, ammunition recovered in Mendhar

Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 8

The Army has recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition from a war-like store in the forest area of Mendhar, close to the Line of Control (LoC), in Poonch district.

Though the war-like store was an old one, the amount of recovery made from the hideout is a cause of concern for the area.

Giving details, Public Relations Officer, Defence, Jammu, Lt Col Devender Anand said arms and ammunition were recovered on Thursday night in the Mendhar area.

He said the recovery included two AK-56 rifles with 26 magazines, 793 rounds of AK-56 rifle, three pistols, including one small with two magazines, 653 rounds of pistols, 56 rounds of pika magazine, 11 tiffin-intensive explosive devices, 20 detonators, three rounds of RPG, four Chinese hand grenades, a compass, one bayonet, two AIMPL map sheets, three identity cards, seven wireless communication sets, a code sign, a wallet, Pakistani currency worth Rs 16,500, a photograph, a water bottle and two carry bags.

Sources told The Tribune that it looked like militants were waiting for an opportunity to strike at some place. “The condition of rifles and other ammunition recovered shows that the war-like store is an old one and no fresh group has managed to infiltrate into the Mendhar sector,” a source said.

Mendhar is situated close to the LoC where the Pakistani army has tried to push militants into this side in the past. Though militancy in Poonch district has been wiped out, regular attempts are being made create trouble in the area.