Area domination exercises conducted on routine basis in Poonch-Rajouri belt: Army
14 suspected detained: Officials
Srinagar, July 30: A large-scale search operation continued on Tuesday against terrorists holed up in the dense forests of Doda, Jammu and Kashmir. Officials confirmed that area domination exercises are underway across multiple regions of the Jammu division.
Lt. Col. Suneel Bartwal, PRO Defence Jammu Division, stated, “A massive search operation is underway in the dense forests, with advanced technical equipment deployed to trace and monitor the terrorists.” Despite no direct contact with the terrorists, ongoing area domination exercises aim to secure the Doda belt. “The area is under close surveillance,” he added.
Search operations are actively being conducted across several locations within Doda’s forests. Routine area domination exercises are also in progress in the Poonch-Rajouri sector.
Lt. Col. Bartwal said, “Terror operations rely on intelligence inputs, while routine operations focus on area control and building public connections.”
An Army official revealed that the Desa forest range is under a stringent security cordon to neutralize the infiltrated terrorists. The official described the operation as “both difficult and dangerous” due to the mountainous terrain and dense forest. “High-end drones and helicopters have been deployed to assist the troops, including para-commandos,” he said.
Police have detained 14 individuals for questioning as investigations continue. Authorities are tracking potential terrorist routes and identifying those who may have provided accommodation to the terrorists. “Suspects from adjacent areas, including Doda district, are also being interrogated,” an official noted.
Extra forces have been deployed to expand the security cordon and trace the hiding terrorists. Reports indicate the presence of two terrorist groups, each consisting of 3-4 members, operating within the Doda-Kathua belt.
Former DGP Shesh Paul Ved claimed that a large number of SSG Commandos from the Pakistan Army have infiltrated into Jammu and Kashmir, with 600 commandos earmarked for the operation. “A significant number have already crossed into J&K with the intention of engaging Indian Army’s 15th and 16th Corps,” he asserted in a video statement.
On July 24, police released sketches of three terrorists responsible for recent attacks in Doda. A reward of ₹5 lakh has been announced for information leading to the capture of each terrorist. The trio is believed to be active in the upper reaches of Doda and Dessa. “We urge the public to provide any information on these terrorists. Informant identities will be kept confidential,” a police spokesperson said.
The July 16 attack marks the second major encounter in Jammu following an ambush on July 8 in Kathua’s Badnota village that resulted in the deaths of five soldiers. Jammu and Kashmir have recently experienced a surge in terror attacks.
