Army deployed, para commandos airdropped in forests
Two groups reportedly infiltrate from Kathua, reach hilly belt
Search ops on to track down, neutralize terrorists: ADGP
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 28: After a long time, a Village Defence Guard (VDG) member was martyred in an encounter with four terrorists at Chochru Gala in Basantgarh area of Udhampur district this morning while the assailants remained untraced despite massive search operations launched by police, Army and paramilitary personnel as the authorities have decided to deploy troops in the area.
Locals told the Excelsior that the encounter in Basantgarh area took place after several years as there has been no presence of terrorists for past long time and the militancy had become a history in this belt. The terrorists engaged in the gun battle by the VDGs appeared to be fresh infiltrated group but it is yet to be ascertained the route taken by them to reach the mountainous area and the place they were heading.
The militancy in Jammu region was confined to twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch where as per earlier reports around 30 terrorists could be present. Sometimes, some of these terrorists shift to Reasi district which shares border with Rajouri and were spotted there. In Kishtwar and Doda districts, only couple of terrorists are stated to be present.
Authorities, meanwhile, have agreed to deploy Army in the area to eliminate the terrorists and create confidence among the local people.
This was stated by Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh and Lok Sabha member from the area.
“In congnizance of the concerns expressed by our local representatives and former members of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in Basantgarh area of district Udhampur following this morning’s firing incident in which one VDG unfortunately lost his life, I appreciate that the authorities have conceded our request to call Army for deployment in the area,’’ Dr Jitendra Singh said in a post on X this evening.
“It is a public appeal not to panic or listen to unconfirmed reports,’’ the Union Minister wrote.
Reports said four terrorists knocked the door of Sewa Ram S/o Sant Ram at Kothi, Basantgarh at 11 pm last night and ask him to show the route leading to Chanali and Payali villages. Later, Sewa Ram informed police.
Reports said the VDG members observed movement of four terrorists around 7.45 am in Chochru Gala area of Basantgarh and engaged them in the gun battle. In the brief exchange of firing, a VDG member was injured and subsequently attained martyrdom. The terrorists later managed to escape.
Deceased was identified as Mohammad Sharief son of Abdul Rehman, a resident of Khaned.
As the VDG members flashed messages, police and paramilitary personnel rushed to the spot and launched search operations to track down the terrorists but they remained untraced till tonight.
Preliminary reports suggest that the terrorists were foreigners.
Army made two helicopter sorties to drop para-commandos deep inside the dense forest to eliminate the terrorists.
Few days back, two foreign terrorists struck at Kondu Topa in Shahdara Sharief area of Rajouri district and gunned down a Government official outside his house though their target was his brother, a Territorial Army jawan.
Additional Director General of Police, Jammu zone, Anand Jain, who rushed to the area to supervise the anti-terrorist operation, said a massive search operation is on to track down and neutralize the terrorists who have infiltrated from Pakistan.
The ADGP said two groups of terrorists are believed to be present in the area after they recently infiltrated from across the border.
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Jain led the wreath laying ceremony of martyred VDG member Mohd Sharief at Basantgarh Police Station this evening and saluted his supreme sacrifice for the nation.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, Udhampur-Reasi range, Rayees Mohd Bhat and other officers from police and CRPF also paid floral tributes to the martyr.
“We got information about the presence of terrorists (in Panara village of Basantgarh) late Saturday night and activated police and VDG members. Because the information was not pin-pointed and we have a vast jungle area, the area domination patrols were launched,” Jain told reporters after Sharief’s body was dispatched to his home at village Khaned for last rites.
He said one of the parties came under fire while moving towards Chochru Gala heights around 7:45 am and in the ensuing encounter, the VDG member laid down his life.
Reinforcements from police, CRPF and Army were rushed and the whole area was cordoned off to track down the terrorists and neutralize them, the officer said.
The ADGP said two groups of terrorists are believed to be present in the area after they recently infiltrated from across the border.
“Where from the terrorists have infiltrated is a matter of investigation which is going on but it is certain that this group is a freshly infiltrated one,” he said when asked about possible infiltration of the terrorists through the International Border from adjoining Kathua district.
He said the strength of the two groups, as per preliminary investigation, is between four and six but their affiliation is not known immediately. “We are working on various inputs and the area is being sanitized to hunt them down with deployment of additional forces.”
Earlier, official sources said there was information about movement of two separate groups of terrorists, who infiltrated recently, from Kathua to Basantgarh.
One of the groups with five members was confronted, while there was no trace of the other group, which has four members and whose movement was last reported in the Machedi top area bordering Kathua, they said.
The sources said the terrorists are believed to have infiltrated through the International Border from Kathua district and are heading to Kashmir via Chenab valley, taking advantage of the thick forest.
Meanwhile, Pawan Kumar, a VDG member, demanded equipping them with automatic weapons to take on the terrorists effectively.
“We are ready and will not allow them to settle down,” he said. This was after a long time that an encounter took place in Basantgarh, once a hub of terror activities, before it was cleared of terrorism by the security forces about two decades ago.
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