Search op in Kishtwar forests enters third day

Srinagar, Jul 04: The massive search operation launched by security forces to track down terrorists hiding in the dense forests of Kishtwar district entered its third consecutive day on Friday. Additional reinforcements have been deployed to tighten the cordon around the Kanzal Mandu area of the Kuchal-Chatroo belt, where the terrorists are believed to be hiding, officials said.The operation was launched following a gunfight that broke out on Wednesday evening between the terrorists and joint teams of the police, Army, and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) during a cordon and search operation based on credible intelligence inputs. The encounter began around 7:45 PM in the heavily forested terrain, prompting a high-alert security response.Officials believe that at least two to three terrorists are currently holed up in the Chatroo forest region.A senior police officer told Rising Kashmir that the terrain is challenging and densely vegetated, which is why the operation is being conducted with extreme caution to avoid casualties. However, our forces are determined to neutralise the threat and ensure the safety of local residents, he said.To aid in the hunt, helicopters and drones are being deployed for aerial surveillance, while sniffer dogs are assisting the ground troops in tracking movement through the rugged terrain. Additional troops have been rushed to the area to reinforce the perimeter and prevent the terrorists from escaping the cordon.This is the second encounter reported in the Jammu region within a week. On June 26, a Pakistani terrorist affiliated with the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) was killed during an encounter in the Basantgarh area of Udhampur district. Three of his associates, however, managed to escape into the nearby forest, triggering another round of operations in the region.The police officer said that these recent encounters show that terrorists are attempting to re-establish their presence in the Jammu region. “We will not allow that to happen. Every attempt to destabilise peace will be met with firm action,” he added..