Pak-made medicines, maps seized
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 5: Associate of a Pakistani militant, who was gunned down by security forces in a joint operation yesterday at Gali Sohab in Tuli area of Chassana in Reasi district, managed to escape from the cordon last night but a search operation was on to nab him while police recovered large quantity of arms, ammunition, Pakistan-made medicines, maps and other items from the spot today.
Officials confirmed that the house where the two militants had taken shelter was searched early this morning and the militant had managed to escape. Last shot was fired by him at 8.30 pm last night and since then there was no activity inside.
Army, CRPF and Police entered the house this morning but the militant remained elusive. In view of this, searches were extended to adjoining villages and hills to nab or eliminate the militant, who was believed to be a Pakistani affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit.
The militant killed yesterday is also a Pakistani but his identity hasn’t been established.
Recoveries made from the site of encounter include an AK rifle, ammunition, explosives, Pakistan-made medicines and maps.
The militants, it may be mentioned, had forcibly taken shelter in the house. Security personnel launched the operation after evacuating the civilians.
Security forces extended the search operation to adjoining villages to track down the absconding militant.
Sources said the security forces stormed the house early this morning but there was no trace of the second militant who was believed hiding inside.
However, the search parties comprising police, Army and CRPF retrieved the body of the slain militant.
The officials said reinforcements were rushed to the area and nearly half-a-dozen adjoining villages in the forested area were sealed and a search operation is underway to neutralize the fleeing militant.
Army along with police has been continuing relentless operations in the forest areas of Reasi district to scuttle nefarious designs of the militants.
“A joint operation was launched based on specific information about the presence of two armed militants. The dynamic counter terrorist grid was established with extensive deployment in the area of responsibility,” officials said.
Defence PRO Lt Col Suneel Bartwal said the militants trapped inside the cordoned house opened fire on the security personnel deployed outside and in the ensuing heavy gunfight, one militant was neutralized.
“A detailed search of the house and the surrounding areas after the encounter resulted in the recovery of one militant’s body along with other warlike stores. Search operation is in progress,” Lt Col Bartwal said.
He said the Army successfully demolished an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the same region on September 3.
“A major incident has been averted in the region by these two consecutive actions by security forces. The presence of these heavily armed militants in the hinterland indicates sustained attempts by inimical forces to destabilize the South of Pir Panjal Region,” the Defence PRO said.
The officials said the encounter in the village broke out around 2 pm on Monday when the joint troops zeroed in on the house where the militants had taken shelter at gunpoint during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday.
After getting information about the presence of the militants, security forces after trekking for over four hours reached the village and cornered the militants who opened indiscriminate firing in a vain bid to escape the security dragnet, the officials said.
The officials said the slain militant is believed to be a part of banned Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) module operating in Rajouri, Poonch and Reasi districts. Two members of the same group were eliminated in Khawas area of Rajouri on August 5.
While the body of one militant was recovered from the scene of the encounter the same day, another body of a militant who had jumped into a river was retrieved from a village in Reasi district on August 18.
The border district of Poonch along with nearby Rajouri has witnessed several encounters this year, resulting in the killing of around 20 terrorists and 10 security personnel.
Most of the terrorists were killed while attempting to sneak into this side from across the border, the officials said. Four militants were also killed in Surankote few days back.
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