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Operation launched to zero in on main hideout in Kathua
Jammu, Sept 08: Zeroing in on one of the main hideout of militants, security forces today launched a `Pincer Operation` amid intensified search operation by specialised Gurkha battlemen with use of sniffer dogs and high-powered mine detectors to track down seven holed up Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) militants in Ghatti forests of Kathua as the gunbattle entered the seventh day without any positive breakthrough so far.
Jammu, Sept 08: Zeroing in on one of the main hideout of militants, security forces today launched a "Pincer Operation" amid intensified search operation by specialised Gurkha battlemen with use of sniffer dogs and high-powered mine detectors to track down seven holed up Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) militants in Ghatti forests of Kathua as the gunbattle entered the seventh day without any positive breakthrough so far.
"One main hideout among five possible hideouts has been identified in south of Ghatti forests and a pincer operation by special Gurkha troops has been launched to eliminate the Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) militants holed up there for the last seven days," official sources said today.
By the end of the day, we will have a breakthrough today, as we have definite information that these militants are hiding in this main hideout, the sources said. Besides this, troops are further closing in with use of sniffer dogs, anti-mine detectors and protectors besides GPS system to narrow the circle which is nearly one sq km now from four sq km when the operation was launched, they said.
Nearly 400 additional troops of Gorkha Rifles and JKLI were pumped into operation yesterday to increase the strength to nearly 700 troops alone, the sources said adding CRPF, police and VDCs are also part of this operation. "There was no firing from the side of militants till this morning for third consecutive day today," the sources said and added militants were still holed up but lying low to target security forces, when they advance towards exact locations of their hideouts.
A chopper made at least three sorties on Friday in the area to prepare a graphic picture of the topography and locations of terrorists which helped in identifying five possible hideouts, the sources said.
As per wireless intercepts, two to three militants were injured in the gunbattle, they said and added by not firing for last three days they want to misguide us that they were killed
Not only this, militants gave various wireless messages to confuse security agencies like five mujahideen have died, we have escaped from the area and two to three colleagues were injured during past two days.
So far, one policeman has been killed and eleven others injured in the gunbattle. The operation started on September 2 on the basis of information given by sarpanch "Devinder Singh" who was abducted but managed to escape from militants clutches on the night of September 1. Bureau Report
By the end of the day, we will have a breakthrough today, as we have definite information that these militants are hiding in this main hideout, the sources said. Besides this, troops are further closing in with use of sniffer dogs, anti-mine detectors and protectors besides GPS system to narrow the circle which is nearly one sq km now from four sq km when the operation was launched, they said.
Nearly 400 additional troops of Gorkha Rifles and JKLI were pumped into operation yesterday to increase the strength to nearly 700 troops alone, the sources said adding CRPF, police and VDCs are also part of this operation. "There was no firing from the side of militants till this morning for third consecutive day today," the sources said and added militants were still holed up but lying low to target security forces, when they advance towards exact locations of their hideouts.
A chopper made at least three sorties on Friday in the area to prepare a graphic picture of the topography and locations of terrorists which helped in identifying five possible hideouts, the sources said.
As per wireless intercepts, two to three militants were injured in the gunbattle, they said and added by not firing for last three days they want to misguide us that they were killed
Not only this, militants gave various wireless messages to confuse security agencies like five mujahideen have died, we have escaped from the area and two to three colleagues were injured during past two days.
So far, one policeman has been killed and eleven others injured in the gunbattle. The operation started on September 2 on the basis of information given by sarpanch "Devinder Singh" who was abducted but managed to escape from militants clutches on the night of September 1. Bureau Report