Forces target suspected terrorist hideout on Day 5 of J&K’s Anantnag operations

A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel was injured in accidental discharge of his weapon as the anti-insurgency operation by security forces against militants in Garol forests of Kokernag in south Kashmir’s Anantnag continued on the fifth day on Sunday, crossing 100 hours.

Officials said the firing continued as forces targeted terrorists’ possible hiding spots in the alpine forests. The area was rattled with sounds of explosions and gunfire during night hours and intermittently during the day.

Forces in particular targeted another cave-like structure suspected to be a terrorist hideout after locating it using a drone. The late afternoon showers disrupted the operation in the treacherous terrain.

“The encounter is still going on. There is no official confirmation of killing of any terrorist so far,” a police official of Anantnag said on Sunday evening.

Police did not comment on unconfirmed reports about the recovery of a charred dead body from a hideout destroyed in the past two days in the forest.

A call and a message to senior superintendent of police (SSP) Anantnag Asish Kumar Mishra, meanwhile, did not elicit a response.

The officials said that CRPF havaldar Manoj Kumar, guarding the outer periphery of the cordon on the encounter site, was injured when his weapon discharged accidentally hitting his leg.

Sharing details, CRPF spokesperson Junaid Ahmad said, “He was on the encounter spot when his weapon discharged accidentally. It was raining and he was hit from inside his raincoat.”

Kumar was rushed to district hospital Anantnag where his position is stated to be stable. “He was on duty at the outer perimeter of the encounter site from where civilians are not allowed to move ahead,” the spokesperson said.

The forces have lost four of their men including Colonel Manpreet Singh, the commanding officer of 19 Rashtriya Rifles, Major Aashish Dhonchak, also from the same battalion, DSP Humayun Muzamil Bhat and a radio operator in the initial day of encounter on Wednesday. Singh, Dhonchak and Khan were leading teams that were hot on the trail of the militants in the treacherous terrain and were fired upon from concealed positions while climbing a steep slope.

Since the initial blow, security forces have proceeded cautiously to take out the hiding terrorist believed to be two to three in number. Police believe that the Lashkar e Taiba commander Uzair Khan was one of the terrorists involved in the encounter.

Residents said the sound of blasts rattled the area, with a local adding, “There was constant use of explosives. We could hear numerous blasts throughout the day.”

The forest cover, hilly terrain and dense foliage were proving a boon for the hiding militants making it difficult for the forces to hunt them out.

The forces have used sophisticated weapons and surveillance systems like drones and heron. Owing to the hilly terrain, there has been constant use of shoulder-fired weapon systems, under-barrel grenade launchers and rocket propelled grenades, besides the weaponized drone. A cave hideout was located and destroyed using a drone deep in Garol forest on Saturday.

The forces, so far, have not clarified about the death of any militant, but Garol has been completely cordoned with the cordon extended further back from Saturday onwards. The residents living too close to the hilly forest have been evacuated.

“At the core of this operation, who are at the front, are para forces,” a senior official said.