JAMMU: Security forces today busted a militant hideout and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition from the mountainous Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir.
"Acting on specific information, Rashtriya Rifles Battalion under Delta Force launched a swift and surgical joint search operation in Gubbar forest near Chirala Bowl in Doda district and busted a militant hideout", a defence spokesman said.
He said that the operation resulted in the recovery of huge cache of arms, ammunition and other war like stores, which included one Self Loading Rifle (SLR), two Chinese pistols, two 12 Bore Rifles, one .303 Rifle, one Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) Grenade, two Chinese Hand Grenades, one 51MM Motor bomb, Six Self Loading Rifle (SLR) magazines and three Pistol Magazines, from a natural cave hideout in the Gubbar forest.
A 303 Rifle Magazine, 10 Rounds of 9 mm, Ball ammunition, 891 rounds of 7.62mm SLR ammunition, one Night Vision Device (NVD), one Anti Personal Mine, one Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Sensor, one Binocular, one Walkman, one Pouch, and sustenance stores, were also recovered from the spot.
The spokesman said that the recovered arms are likely to belong to one of the terrorist outfits of the area, active in the past, which could have been hidden for later usage.
He also praised the "well synchronised" efforts by the forces in unearthing the ammunition.
"The recovery was possible only due to the accurate intelligence developed by the Army and launching of well synchronised joint operation with Jammu and Kashmir police and CRPF in the dense forest, in a relentless day and night operation of 48 hours", he said.
The army said that the recovered arms and ammunition were handed over to Thatri Police Station wherein, an FIR has been lodged.
"Recovery of such war like stores will prove detrimental to the revival of terrorism in the area and further strengthen the existing security grid", the spokesman said.
He added that the General Officer Commanding, Delta Force complimented the troops who took part in the operation and commented that the recovery of this cache is in continuation of the sustained efforts by Delta Force towards dismantling of terrorist infrastructure and support base of remnant terrorist in Chenab Valley.