Militancy can’t be wiped out without public support: J&K CM Omar Abdullah
Security forces intensify searches in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district; commandos, drones and sniffer dogs pressed into service to eliminate terrorists, who appear to have infiltrated recently.
Asserting that militancy in Jammu and Kashmir cannot be finished without the support of people, chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said his government is extending support to the Union home ministry to ensure the security situation remains peaceful in the Union Territory.
“Though it (security) is directly not our responsibility, I am repeatedly saying that militancy cannot be finished without the support of the people. The elected government is making attempts and is supporting (Lt Governor Manoj Sinha) to keep the situation under control and maintain peace,” the chief minister told reporters outside the assembly in Jammu before the start of the day’s business.
He was responding to a question on the ongoing anti-terrorist operation in Sanyal near border in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district.
No contact established: CM
“Such things have happened in the past as well and as far as my information is concerned, no contact was established (with terrorists). The search and cordon operation launched on the basis of suspicious movement is going on and let us see how the situation develops,” Abdullah said.
Meanwhile, security forces, comprising army, BSF and special operations group personnel, intensified the search for a group of four to five Jaish terrorists in the Sanyal area since early on Monday.
Commandos, drones and sniffer dogs have been pressed into service to eliminate the terrorists, who appear to be a freshly infiltrated group, said the officer.
The security forces on Monday morning found the footprints in the jungle, believed to be of terrorists.
Couple informed police
The operation was launched after a couple encountered the terrorists inside a jungle near Sanyal village, 5km from the Pakistan border, on Sunday. The couple, Ganesh Dass and his wife, managed to flee the jungle and informed the police.
Intelligence officials suggested that the group infiltrated on Saturday and there could be probably two groups of five to six terrorists.
A seven-year-old girl, Anchal, sustained minor injuries when a stray bullet passed close to her arm and was shifted to a local hospital.
“Based on Intelligence Input regarding presence of terrorists, a Joint Operation has been launched by @JmuKmrPolice & troops of #RisingStar Corps on 23 Mar 25 in general area Saniyal #Hiranagar. Operations in Progress,” Rising Star Corps_IA wrote on X.