Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Nov 23: In one of the major successes against militants, army today recovered a major arms haul near the Line of Control (LoC) in Keran sector of North Kashmir. Army said by the recovery of these weapons they have foiled potential threat to the poll process.
An Army spokesman said that troops deployed along the LoC in Keran sector recovered a huge haul of weapons including 18 AK-47 rifles and 5 pistols. The spokesman said that these weapons were potential threat to the poll process and Army intercepted these weapons and prevented them from falling in the hands of militants operating in Kashmir.
The search operation in the area is going on and sources said that the weapons were recently smuggled from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) by the militants. They said that militants are desperate to smuggle weapons as the militants are falling short of weapons due to tight vigil along the LoC by the Army over the years.
The spokesman said that in another operation, based on specific input, was launched jointly launched by Army and Special Operations Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police at Hajibal forest area in Baramulla district early today.
“Extensive search led to the discovery of a well entrenched hideout from which large quantity of weapons, ammunition and other war like stores to include which one sniper rifle, two pistol, two UBGL, 23 UBGL, 23 UBGL grenade, 18 hand grenade, six RPG, two disposable RL, four radio set, two mor bombs, two combat dresses with assorted ammunition and belted ammunition were recovered”, the spokesman said.
The spokesman said that the hideout seems to have been used by transient militants as a safe hiding place and its destruction will further enhance the safe environs on fringe areas of Baramulla town and is a major setback to militants operating around Baramulla.
Army said that recent incidents show that militants are desperate to target the poll process in Kashmir valley but their designs have been foiled. “These operations, when seen in conjunction with the arrest of the militant and grenade throwing incident in last 48 hours indicates the desperate attempts by terrorists to disrupt the so far peaceful election related activities and success of security forces in thwarting such ill designs”, he said.
The Lt General Subrata Saha commended the troops on LoC and hinterland for maintaining a robust counter infiltration and counter militancy grid.
The arms haul is the biggest in recent years. Last time on September 27, 2012 Army recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition including 10 AK-47 rifles with 20 magazines, 98 chinese made pistols (.30 MAUSER) with 196 magazines and two sub machine guns (.30 Cal, folding Butt) with four magazines. The arms and ammunition was packed in chinese newspapers.
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