Were in possession of Chinese and Pak made weapons
*Para commandos used in gun battle, terror strikes averted
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 18: In a major success, security forces today eliminated four Pakistani militants at Sindhara Top in Surankote tehsil in Poonch district and thwarted their plot to carry out terror attacks on security personnel and civilians.
The militants were in possession of Chinese made AK rifles and Pakistan make pistols and possibility of their involvement in Bhatta Durrian attack on Army truck on April 20 this year in which five soldiers sacrificed their lives is not ruled out.
Officials told the Excelsior that heavily armed militants were confirmed Pakistanis but their identity hasn’t been established so far as they were not being named in the intercepts. Moreover, no identity cards have been recovered from their possession.
“The militants were camping in Surankote for past few days. However, it is yet to be ascertained whether they had shifted hideouts from Mendhar to Surankote or were freshly infiltrated group,” the officials said, adding for past three days, Army, police and Intelligence agencies were monitoring their movement and finally they were trapped between Sindhara and Maidana areas last evening.
Recovery of Chinese made AK rifles and Pakistan made pistols clearly indicated that they were Pakistanis and had entered into this side to carry out more attack on security forces and civilians in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch with a view to disturb peace in border areas,
Police will carry out further investigations to ascertain their involvement in three major terror attacks in Rajouri and Poonch this year including Dhangri in which seven civilians were killed, Bhatta Durrian in which five soldiers sacrificed their lives and Keri in which five elite para commandos were martyred forces.
“Special Forces (para commandos) were also used in the encounter at Surankote to eliminate four trapped militants,” the officials said.
They added that survival of the militants was threat to civilians as they were in possession of sophisticated weapons and could have carried out terror attacks anywhere in Rajouri and Poonch districts to disturb peace.
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“With their elimination, people have heaved a sigh of relief,” they said. In fact, the officials strongly lauded cooperation of people in killing of the militants.
The killing of four militants comes a day after security forces foiled a major infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Krishna Ghati Sector of Poonch on the intervening night of July 16 and 17.
Earlier in the day, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Jammu zone, Mukesh Singh confirmed the killing of four militants in Sindhara top area of Surankote.
“Four foreign terrorists were neutralised in a forest area during the ongoing ‘operation Trinetra II’. The presence of such heavily-armed militants in hinterland is indicative of attempts to destabilise the region, and if not neutralised on time, these militants could have carried out major terror-initiated incidents in coming days,” Commander, 6 Sector Rashtriya Rifles, Brigadier M P Singh told reporters in Poonch in the presence of SSP Poonch Vinay Sharma.
‘Operation Trinetra’ was launched by Army in the aftermath of the deadly terrorist ambush on security forces’ vehicles in the Mendhar area of Poonch that left five soldiers dead on April 20.
Brig Singh said a joint operation was launched by Army and police in the forest area on July 16 as part of relentless operations over the past three months after getting information about movement of unidentified persons in the general area of Sindhara.
“Accordingly, the area was cordoned off after a specific intelligence with regard to the presence of armed militants. Based on this, Army and Special Operations Group of Jammu Kashmir Police launched a specific cordon and search operation of this area (on July 17),” he said.
After establishing an effective cordon, the Army officer said, the troops commenced their search and approached Sindhara village.
“Four militants who had taken shelter in the forest near the village opened indiscriminate fire on the approaching troops. Their fire was promptly retaliated and the ultras were pinned down.”
Brig Singh said the cordon was then readjusted to deny any space to the militants to escape.
“Special Forces (of the Army) were also inducted to augment the troops. The militants making use of the terrain, forest foliage and inclement weather kept opening fire on the troops in a desperate attempt to break the cordon,” he said.
The Army officer said the intermittent fire between militants and the search parties continued throughout the day and the night before the guns fell silent around 5.30 am.
In the morning, the officer said, a detailed search of the area was carried out which led to the recovery of the bodies of slain terrorists and a huge quantity of arms and ammunition, which included four Chinese-make AK assault rifles and two pistols with a Pakistani marking besides large quantity of magazines and ammunition.
“This joint action by Indian Army and Jammu Kashmir Police has resulted in saving the lives and contributed towards maintaining peace in the region. The relentless efforts by security forces in past few months have started giving results,” Brig Singh said, asserting that the operations against militants would continue with renewed vigour to make the region terrorism-free.
The officer lauded the cooperation of the security forces as well as the locals and said the people played a key role in the successful operation which speaks volumes about the love for their nation and maintaining peace.
Referring to the recent killing of militants on the LoC while attempting to sneak into this side from across the border, Brigadier Singh said, “It shows the neighbouring country (Pakistan) will not stop and make continue attempts to disturb our region. We will not stop and eliminate all terrorists who are hiding in the area.”
SSP Poonch Vinay Sharma said the successful operation is the glaring example of the synergy between the Army and the police in the fight against terrorism.
“The joint operation against militants will continue,” Sharma said, adding security forces and police are committed to make Poonch free of militants.
An official statement issued by the Army on Surankote encounter said the Indian Army along with JKP and other sister agencies will continue their operations with renewed vigour to flush out remaining militants in the areas.
“Recent contacts on the LoC, particularly in Sarla and Nowshera sectors, allude a bigger game plan of spreading instability in the region,” the statement said.
Army and police strongly appreciated the cooperation rendered by local people in making operation against the militants successful.
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