Army chief reviews Bhatta Durrian operation, visits LoC
Top Comdrs brief Gen Naravane on situation
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 19: On second and last day of his tour to Jammu, Army chief Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane visited forward areas on the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district and reviewed Bhatta Durrian operations by the troops which entered ninth day today without any success as the militants remained elusive. Nine Army personnel, two of them JCOs, have been martyred in the operations so far.
However, going by the announcements made by police and from Mosques in Mendhar and surrounding areas urging people to stay indoors along with their cattle, the officials told the Excelsior that the Army could launch final assault against the militants in Bhatta Durrian forests where police have already detained eight persons for providing food and shelter to the ultras.
As the counter-insurgency operation entered the ninth day today in Bhatta Durrian forests, public announcements were made in Mendhar asking local residents to stay indoors for their safety.
The people were alerted through the Public Address System in local mosques in Bhatta Durrian and adjoining areas as the security forces were preparing a final assault against the militants believed to be hiding in the forest area of Mendhar in Poonch district.
The people were asked not to venture into the forest area and also keep their livestock at their homes in view of the ongoing operation.
Those who have gone outside were asked to return to their homes along with their animals.
As loud explosions and staccato of gunfire pierced the air, troops advanced into the dense forests.
The deafening sounds of explosions and gunfire shook the forest area shortly after the announcements with security forces launching assaults on suspected locations, mostly natural caves. However, there was no immediate report of any casualty.
Drones and helicopters were pressed into service to assist the marching troops, which included para-commandos, in the jungle spread over nearly 8 km x 2 km area at a distance of four km from the Line of Control, the officials said.
The entire forest belt is still under tight security cordon to neutralise the militants, the officials said, adding the area is mountainous and the forest is dense, making the operation difficult and dangerous.
Meanwhile Gen Naravane visited forward areas along the LoC in Poonch district and was briefed on the ground situation in the region and ongoing counter-infiltration operations along the LoC with special reference to Bhatta Durrian operations which have already been joined by the para-commandos, the officials said.
Gen Naravane arrived in Jammu on a two-day visit yesterday. Soon after his arrival, he visited forward areas in the border district of Rajouri. Today, he toured the border areas of Poonch district. Twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch share LoC with Pakistan.
“General MM Naravane #COAS (Chief of Army Staff) visited forward areas of #WhiteKnight Corps & undertook a first-hand assessment of the situation along the Line of Control. #COAS was briefed by Commanders on the ground about the present situation & ongoing counter-infiltration operations,” the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) of the Indian Army tweeted.
While a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and four other security personnel were martyred in a fierce gunfight during the start of the counter-insurgency operation in Chamrer forests of Surankote on October 11, four other soldiers including another JCO lost their lives in another encounter in Nar Khas forest in Mendhar on October 14 after the security forces extended the cordon and search operation.
An encounter was on in the adjoining Thanamandi forest in Rajouri district on October 11 when the security forces confronted the fleeing militants who, however, managed to escape.
Sources said it is not immediately clear as to whether one group of militants was spotted at Surankote, Thannamandi and Bhatta Durrian or there were two groups. Things will be clear when the operation is over and the militants are killed.
The entire forest belt is still under tight security cordon to neutralise the militants, the officials said, adding the area is mountainous and the forest is dense, making the operation difficult and dangerous.
Eight suspected persons including a mother-son duo have already been detained for questioning from Bhatta Durrian in connection with providing logistic support to the militants. However, it is to be seen whether the support was given voluntarily or under duress, the officials said.
Earlier on Saturday, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Rajouri-Poonch range, Vivek Gupta said the presence of militants in the forest area connecting Poonch and Rajouri was observed two and a half months ago and accordingly tactical operations were launched to track them down.
The Army has already deployed para-commandos and a helicopter was also seen hovering over the forest area for surveillance.
The traffic between Mendhar and Thanamandi along the Jammu-Rajouri highway remained suspended as a precautionary measure for the fifth day today in the wake of the ongoing operation.
Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region have witnessed a rise in infiltration attempts since June this year, resulting in the killing of nine militants in separate encounters.
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