SRINAGAR: The security forces on Thursday conducted massive cordon and search operations (CASO) in over a dozen villages in militancy-infested Shopian district in south Kashmir to track the militants hiding there.
In the wee hours today, police, CRPF and army men laid siege in over dozen villages include Kadgam, Barbugh, Chiterwich, Imamsahib, Hillow, Manihal, Amurbugh, Badimarg, Yamrach, Munad Gofan, Woyen, and DK Pora in Shopian district to flush out the militants hiding there.
The security personnel sealed all the entry and exit points in the villages and did not allow anybody to leave or enter the villages.
The militants of Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba are active in Shopian.
Recently, throat-slit body of BJP youth leader Gowhar Ahmad Bhat was recovered from an orchard in Shopian and police had blamed Lashkar and Hizb militants for his killing.
SP Shopian Ambarkar Shriram Dinkar told New Indian Express that combing and search operations were launched in Shopian villages to flush out militants after receiving inputs about their presence.
He said house to house searches were conducted in the nine-hour-long operation.
“During the operation, people cooperated with the security men,” he said.
Sources said the security personnel thoroughly searched each and every house in the villages.
“They also used sniffer dogs during the operation,” they said.
They said no stone pelting or protests took place during the nine-hour-long search operation.
Dinkar said the operation was called off at around 3.30 pm without any contact with the militants or arrest of any militant or recoveries.
He, however, said the objective of the operation was fully achieved.
It was for the 4th time in last five months when security forces conducted massive search operation in Shopian, which along with three other south Kashmir districts Anantnag, Pulwama, and Kulgam is militancy infested.
A security official said the objective of search operations is to deny safe havens to militants and create fear among them that their presence and movement is being continuously tracked and monitored.
SPO attacked
Militants fired from point-blank range towards a Special Police Officer (SPO) attached with traffic police near the office of Deputy Commissioner Anantnag in south Kashmir this afternoon, a police official said.
He said the SPO identified as Ranveer Singh sustained bullet injury in the abdomen and was evacuated to Srinagar hospital for specialised treatment.
After the incident, police and paramilitary personnel conducted searches in the area. However, no arrests were reported.
Hizbul OGW arrested
A police spokesman said police foiled militants attempt to attack security forces and snatch their weapons by arresting an Over Ground Worker (OWG) of Hizbul Mujahideen Showkat Ahmad Lone from Kulgam area in south Kashmir.
One pistol, pistol magazine and 04 pistol rounds were recovered from his possession, he said.
The official said Hizb operational chief Riyaz Naikoo had directed the OWGs and militants to kill security personnel and snatch their weapons.
A manhunt has been launched to track down other OWGs tasked by Naikoo to target security personnel, he added.