Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 15: Security forces have launched a search operation in the border town of Samba along Jammu-Pathankot National Highway following reports of suspected movement of four persons in the wee hours today.
Some labourers informed police about movement of four persons in civilian clothes from Samba Main Chowk on the Highway towards SIDCO industrial area close to Basantar river belt.
Basantar river, which flows into Pakistan across the International Border (IB), is one of the main infiltration routes of militants into the State and in past many times militants have sneaked into Jammu through the river basin.
“Search operation was launched in Samba town along the highway after some people reported about suspected movement of four persons in the wee hours today,” a police officer said.
“We searched the entire area and till now found nothing. CCTV footage showed some unarmed persons in civilian clothes,” he said.
SSP Samba Anil Magotra told Excelsior that some factory labourers who had gone for natures call in the morning saw four people coming from Basantar river towards Samba Chowk in Civil clothes. They informed the police. A Sentry of nearby factory also had seen them and he too confirmed it.
They said as it was poor visibility they could not properly see the clothes wore by all of them. However, they disclosed that one was wearing a white colour T Shirt while another a black colour T Shirt and they were talking in local dialect. The message was also flashed to PCR and later entire area was cordoned to locate the suspected people.
He said as the area being sensitive and there were large number of factories in the vicinity in which about 10,000 men work besides the army also patrols on National Highway so entire area was combed and search operations started. But nothing was found.
SSP said to ensure safety of industry staff and civilians CCTV footage was also checked and after zooming it we found that the four persons were moving in the area but it can’t be ascertained that they were specifically militants. Being the vast area they could also be factory workers who had gone for nature’s call in the Basanter area. However, police has decided to verify the CCTV footage through experts tomorrow and investigate it fully.
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