Search op in Kishtwar enters second day; terrorists still trapped in forest
Security forces, including the Army and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, continued their manhunt on Friday for a group of armed terrorists hiding in the dense forests of Kishtwar district, a day after a soldier was killed during an exchange of fire.
Special Forces of the Army were airdropped into the Singhpura forest area of Chatroo in Kishtwar, along with specialised equipment and sniffer dogs, to track the movement of the terrorists through the thick terrain.
Sources revealed that the group of terrorists, initially believed to be four in number, split into two smaller groups to evade the security forces. It is suspected that they are still hiding in the forest and may be attempting to move toward nearby areas. However, no exchange of fire was reported on Friday, suggesting that there was no fresh contact between the terrorists and security personnel.
Authorities suspect that the terrorists may have received assistance from local Over Ground Workers (OGWs), aiding their survival and evasion in the difficult terrain.
Helicopters were also deployed on Friday to scan the forested area and determine whether the ultras had managed to escape under the cover of darkness.
Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat had visited the area on Thursday, where he reviewed the cordon and directed the SOG to maintain heightened vigilance. He, along with other senior officials from the police and Army, continued to assess the situation on the ground on Friday. It is believed that one of the four terrorists is a top commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit.
