Out of 10 detainees, 3 turn out to be OGWs
*Hideouts detected in jungles, many items recovered
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 25: Security forces have come across six to eight natural cave hideouts in the dense forests of Bhatta Durrian in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch district which had been used by the present group of militants as well as in the past also after infiltration from the Line of Control (LoC) and then heading towards South Kashmir and recovered large quantity of items left by the militants which include ammunition, clothes, medicines, food etc.
Meanwhile, police was in the process of formally arresting at least three Over Ground Workers (OGWs) out of a total of 10 persons detained by them for providing shelter and food to the militants in Bhatta Durrian forests as it has been established that the trio help to the militants was voluntarily and not under any kind of pressure. Rest of the detainees are likely to be set free as they provided support to the militants at gun point.
Police today also arrested three more suspects, hailing from Mendhar, from Kathmandu in Nepal from where they were trying to flee to Saudi Arabia as they had reportedly helped the militants operating in Bhatta Durrian forests.
The officials identified them as Mohammad Noor alias Noori son of Mohammad Yousaf alias Rusla, a resident of Gulhutta Mendhar, Mohammad Rashid son of Mohammad Sharief and Yasar Arafat son of Mohammad Khurshid, both residents of Bhatta Durrian and presently putting up in Ludhiana in Punjab.
“Police had tip off that the trio were in touch with the militants operating in Bhatta Durrian forests and as soon as Army launched operations in the jungles, they fled to Nepal on way to Saudi Arabia.
A team of Poonch Police was deputed to Kathmandu and all three were nabbed before they could board the Saudi Arabia flight. They have been shifted to Mendhar for sustained interrogation to ascertain their exact role in helping the militants in Bhatta Durrian forests.
The officials, however, said that their exact role is under scrutiny and will be known only after their questioning is complete.
The officials said that during massive search operations in dense Bhatta Durrian forests of Mendhar which entered into 15th day today, security forces have come across number of naturally built cave hideouts in the forests which had been used by present group of militants as well as in the past.
“The hideouts were natural and hadn’t been constructed. However, there was enough evidence of militants staying in the caves and getting food and other help from certain Over Ground Workers. The forest area was being used by the militants for temporary halt after infiltration from the LoC and before proceeding to South Kashmir,” the officials added.
During search operations, security forces have so far recovered ammunition, food, medicines, clothes and some other belongings of the militants which dropped enough hints that the militants were hiding there and have moved ahead. However, the militants seemed to be well within the forest cover and are likely to be neutralized during ongoing operations.
Among 10 persons detained so far from Mendhar, the officials said police have zeroed-in on three who have turned out to be the OGWs and had provided food and other help to the hiding militants voluntarily and not at gun point while seven others had do so under pressure. Three OGWs are likely to be formally arrested, they said.
According to them, large forest area has been cleared and only a part of it was left now where the militants are likely to be hiding.
Today morning, security forces fired indiscriminately aiming a specific hideout of the militants. However, there was no cross-firing.
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