4th appearance in last 10 days on Kathua-Udhampur border
*Security forces continue massive operations
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 3: Three terrorists once again surfaced—fourth time in last 10 days—this time at Chore Panjuan village in Khabal area on the border of Kathua and Udhampur districts last night, took shelter in a house, consumed food and forced the family to pack lot more for them before fleeing along with their mobile telephone.
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Chore Panjuan village falls in Majalta belt of Udhampur district and borders Billawar tehsil of Kathua where the terrorists have been moving from one forest to another in search of hideout after their infiltration from the International Border in Hiranagar sector in Kathua district where they were first spotted by a family in a vast nursery at village Sanyal on March 23.
DIG Udhampur-Reasi range Rayees Mohammad Bhat told the Excelsior that search operations have been launched jointly by Udhampur and Kathua police along with security forces after suspicious movement was observed at village Chore Panjuan last night.
“It will be premature to say whether the group is same which was first spotted in parts of Billawar,’’ Bhat said.
Sources said three terrorists appeared at a house at Chore Panjuan last night and asked the family to prepare lot of food for them at gun point. They took the food and got the rest packed with them before leaving the house after more than an hour.
The terrorists didn’t harm the family but took away with them the lone mobile telephone they were having. The phone was switched off. The terrorists took away the phone to ensure that the family is not able to immediately sound police and they manage to cover lot of distance by then.
The family later informed neighbours and a call was made to police which reached the spot along with security forces and cordoned off the area. Senior police officers from Kathua and Udhampur also visited the spot and a joint operation was going on when the reports last came in but there was no contact with the terrorists so far.
“As the family confirmed presence of only three terrorists, security agencies believed that the group was same which was present in Panjtirthi forests and escaped after brief exchange of gun battle on Monday,’’ the sources said.
Five terrorists were spotted by a family near a sprawling Nursery at village Sanyal in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district on March 23. However, they escaped before security forces laid a cordon. Movement of the terrorists was again observed at village Safiyan Jakhole in Rajbagh area of Kathua on March 27 leading to fierce encounter in which two terrorists were killed and four police personnel were martyred.
Three terrorists who escaped from Safiyan Jakhole surfaced at village Rui on March 29 when they forcibly took away some food from a woman after intruding into her house. Again, security forces launched searches in the area but the terrorists, one of whom was in injured condition, escaped.
The terrorists were trapped at Panjtirthi forests of Billawar in Kathua district on March 31 night leading to heavy exchange of gun battle but they slipped away.
The terrorists, as per the sources, are trying to reach some forest areas of Billawar where they may have certain cave hideouts for taking shelter.
The multi-tier operation to track down three infiltrating terrorists, who escaped three encounters and are believed to be hiding in a forested area in Kathua, has entered its 12th consecutive day with security agencies also cracking down on terrorist supporters and setting up ambushes.
Additional troops have been deployed to beef up the multi-tier cordon and set up ambushes over a 6-7 km radius in the region.
“The combing operation has been going on. It is underway to track down terrorists on the run,” said the sources.
The search operation was intensified with aerial surveillance, including the use of choppers, UAVs, and sniffer dogs. Teams comprising Army, NSG, Police, SOG, CRPF and BSF are combing all areas to cover the region.
They said additional troops have been deployed in the rugged terrain and dense forested areas to ensure that terrorists do not escape further towards upper reaches.
The troops have established multiple ambushes in a large area to apprehend the terrorists. They have further expanded the area of operation to include Billawar, Bhaddu, Ghatti, and Kog-Mandli.
To dismantle the over ground network supporting terrorists, security agencies are focusing on OGWs and cracking down on them to cut off the supply of food, shelter and guidance in the hills.
Over 27 individuals have been questioned for gathering information about the terrorists’ movements.
Security agencies emphasize that it is difficult for terrorists to survive without a network of Over Ground Workers who provide them with food, shelter and guidance from the International Border (IB) to the hills of Kathua and other districts like Doda, Kishtwar and Udhampur.
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