Day on, forces hunt for terrorists in Udhampur

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, August 7

Even as security forces, including the J&K Police, Army and the CRPF continued the search operation in Khaned forest area of Basantgarh in Udhampur district, there was no contact with the ultras after the initial encounter on Tuesday evening. It is suspected that the terrorists might have fled the spot.

On Tuesday, a group of three to four ultras were detected in an area with thick vegetation. The ultras also opened fire on the security forces on Tuesday when they saw them approaching the spot where they were hiding. Security forces had later launched a Search and Destroy Operation.

Udhampur-Reasi range DIG Rayees Mohammad Bhat said security forces were also activated in Kathua district as the ridge line where the ultras were present is close to the district. He said the cordon and search operation was underway in a vast area to prevent the terrorists from escaping.

Notably, ultras have managed to flee spots in many earlier gunfights as well, specifically in Jammu division, taking advantage of thick vegetation in the region.

Sources said this group too seemed to be a freshly infiltrated group from Pakistan with modern weaponry, including M4 carbines and grenades.

Sources said with massive security columns deployed across the area, it was difficult for the terrorists to escape for many days. “Operations in these parts are tough as hilly terrain, weather and vegetation help the terrorists in hiding. Thus, it takes days to detect these ultras and eliminate them,” an official of the Army intelligence said.