Day 4: Searches underway to track terrorists in Kathua forests

Srinagar, Mar 30: The massive anti-terrorist operation is underway in the higher reaches of Ghati Juthana forest in Rajbagh for the fourth straight day on Sunday, officials said.
A police officer told Rising Kashmir that a search operation against hiding terrorists is underway in the dense forest of Kathua. “Entire forest belt is l under a tight security cordon to neutralise hiding terror-ists.”
“The area is mountainous and the forest is dense, making the opera-tion difficult and dangerous. Security has been tightened, with ‘Naka’ checking and rigorous vehicle inspections implemented across the re-gion,” he added.
The official said drones and helicopters were pressed into service to assist the marching troops, which included para-commandos, in the jungle,” he said, adding that the entire forest belt is still under tight security cordon to track down the terrorists.
“Additional troops and equipment have been inducted to flush out the terrorists and the use of drones and other technical resources is being ensured. We are using both aerial surveillance and sniffer dogs to track the terrorists,” he said.
A 48-hour-long operation in the undulating, forested area of Safian in Ghati Juthana, Rajbagh, Kathua, resulted in the killing of four police-men and two terrorists.
According to locals who alerted the police, a group of more than five armed men in combat uniforms was seen patrolling the forest. The remaining terrorists are still active in the forest range, which connects to the Chenab Valley’s Kishtwar and Doda districts and is linked by the Ujh River.