Terrorist hideouts busted in J&K's Baramulla; China, Pak flags, letterheads of LeT, JeM recovered, 44 held

Terrorist hideouts were busted by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla sector on Tuesday.

Representational image

Srinagar: In a major success for the security forces, terrorist hideouts were busted in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla sector on Tuesday.

Other than recovering bombs, flags of China and Pakistan, letterheads of Pakistan-based terrorist outfits Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad were seized by the forces.

Also, 44 people were arrested for their alleged involvement in "terror-related activities".

"Over 700 houses were searched in a span of 12 hours on October 17 in an extensive search operation in old town in Baramulla, during which 44 persons involved with terror related activities have been apprehended," an Army spokesman said.

The security forces sanitised the area and a number of hideouts were busted during the operation, the spokesman said.

"A large quantity of incriminating material such as petrol bombs, Chinese and Pakistani flags, LeT and JeM letterhead pads, unauthorized mobile phones and seditious anti-national publicity material were seized," he added.

He said the operation was jointly carried out by teams of army, police, BSF and CRPF in 10 sensitive localities including Qazi Hamam, Ganai Hamam, Taweed Gunj, Jamia and other mohallas reportedly being used as "safe havens by the terrorists", as per PTI. 

Recovery of such materials is a serious concern for the administration, as the ongoing unrest in Kashmir Valley is said to be fuelled by Pakistan.

For over 100 days, the Valley has been witnessing un-ending violence, which was triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces.

The unrest, which began a day after Wani was killed in an encounter in south Kashmir on July 8, has left 84 people, including two cops, dead and several thousand injured.

The relations between India and Pakistan hit a new low after Indian Army conducted surgical strikes along the Line of Control and destroyed LeT camps.

The strikes came after terror attack on an Army camp in Uri town of Kashmir on September 18 in which 19 soldiers were killed.

India has blamed Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad militant group for the attack.

Meanwhile, India's diplomatic blitz has isolated Pakistan in the region as well as in the international community, on the issue of harbouring terrorists and sponsoring terrorism.

Not only this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mention of human rights violations issue in Balochistan has further cornered Islamabad.