Additional forces deployed after sighting of 2 suspects in Udhampur: DIG Bhat

Jammu, Apr 3: Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Udhampur-Reasi range, Rayees Mohammad Bhat Thursday said that the additional forces were deployed after the sighting of two suspects in the areas of Udhampur district, adjacent to Kathua district.

“Two suspects were seen yesterday. Their sighting was confirmed in Udhampur district’s Chorpanjwa area, adjacent to Kathua district. Though our parties, engaged in search operation, were already there and a cordon had been laid there for the past eight days or so to bolster ongoing combing operation in Kathua. However, today additional forces have been sent there,” DIG Bhat said, while responding to media queries.

He said that at present, a massive search operation was underway in the area.

“The area encompasses dense forests therefore we anticipate that they (suspects) may be hiding there. We are hopeful of a breakthrough vis-à-vis search operation,” Bhat said.

He, however, refused to make a comment when asked if these suspects could be the terrorists on the run from Kathua.

“In the present circumstances, it will be premature to make any comment on this aspect till we get further reports or achieve a breakthrough. We will wait for further details and then we can confirm,” Bhat said.

Meanwhile, ongoing “Search and destroy” operations launched jointly by the Indian Army, J&K Police (JKP) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) continued in Panjtirthi area of Juthana in Kathua for the third day on Thursday.

Combing operation has been expanded to adjoining areas of the district as well.

The “Search and destroy” operations were launched on April 1 morning after a fresh fierce exchange of fire between the security forces and terrorists on the run, took place on March 31 night.

Fresh contact was established during multiple surveillance cum ambushes deployed by the security forces on intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists in Panjtirthi area, on the way to Billawar.

These terrorists are believed to be part of the same group involved in the Sufain encounter in the Ghati area of Rajbagh. However, after March 31, no contact has been established so far.

The Police had also called half a dozen persons including women belonging to the family of an Over Ground Worker for interrogation in this regard.

Two terrorists were neutralised in the encounter in Sufain however four JKP personnel also lost their lives in the fierce gun-battle.

On March 30, a family in Rui village, several kilometers away from Sufain, had reported that the terrorists had forcibly taken away food during the night.

Following this input, surveillance was further intensified and multiple ambushes besides night cordon were deployed by the security forces all around the stretch.

DGP has been regularly monitoring the operations by multiple units right from day one i.e., March 23.

Senior officers of Army and CRPF have been working in perfect synergy with the JKP in the relentless anti-terrorist operations launched since March 23, when a group of five terrorists was first sighted by a couple in Sanyal village of Kathua