Srinagar, Apr 16: A string of high-stakes encounters in Kathua district has blown the lid off a renewed infiltration route used by terrorists crossing from Pakistan, exposing a sinister plot to unleash prolonged violence in the region, police on Wednesday said.
Talking to media at Rajbagh police station in Kathua, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kathua, Shobhit Saxena said recent confrontations not only exposed a traditional infiltration corridor via the International Border (IB) but also derailed a significant terror plot aimed at triggering large-scale violence in the region.
“In the past month, four intense gunfights in the district, with security forces eliminating multiple terrorists and recovering a substantial cache of arms, ammunition, and explosives,” he said.
SSP Saxena said that the route they used is now known to us and stands compromised. They won’t be allowed to exploit it again. The seized items ranging from assault rifles and grenades to Pakistan-marked food supplies and medicines were displayed, he said.
Pertinent to mention here, on March 27, two heavily armed terrorists were neutralized in Safiyan forest in an encounter that claimed the lives of four police personnel. The operation came just days after security forces intercepted an infiltration attempt in the Saniyal forest area of Hiranagar.
“The recovered material suggests that the terrorists were well-equipped and prepared for an extended stay. Their goal was not a one-off strike, but a sustained campaign using IEDs and possibly drug trafficking as well,” Saxena said, pointing to the presence of heroin among the seized items.
Three to four terrorists are still believed to be at large. SSP expressed confidence that they would be tracked down soon, citing the robust multi-layered security deployment from border villages to interior areas, he said.
“The civil population has been alert and cooperative. Timely inputs from villagers have significantly shaped our tactical response,” Saxena added.
As part of a parallel campaign against local support networks, police have so far booked 30 persons under the Public Safety Act (PSA) in Kathua district.
Meanwhile, security agencies are interpreting the seizures and encounters as evidence of a broader strategy by terrorist handlers across the border to revive terrorism in Jammu through traditional routes that had seen relatively less activity in recent years.
“Alongside the weapons, investigators recovered an M4 carbine, two AK-series rifles, GPS-enabled gadgets, clothes, sleeping gear, and a mix of food items and medical supplies clearly marked as Pakistani origin,” he said.
SSP further said that these were not accidental infiltrators. They were on a well-planned mission. But thanks to the synergy among police, Army, paramilitary forces, and locals, we have managed to dismantle a major part of that plan,” he added.
