Shyam Sood
Rajouri, Oct 24: On day 14th of the ongoing Counter-Terror Operation (CTO) to hunt down a group of reportedly 5-6 terrorists in Nar Khas forested in Mendhar, two policemen and an Army soldier were injured while a Pakistani terrorist Zia Mustafa taken to identify the hiding place of the terrorists was killed.
The group of terrorists allegedly is involved in the killing of a JCO and three soldiers on October 14 in a Nar Khas forested area and since then hiding in a very safe place.
In this connection, FIR No.107 was registered at Gurasi police station in a murder case and other relevant sections of IPC.
During an ongoing investigation by the police, the involvement of Zia Mustafa was also figured in the ongoing CTO at Nar Khas for his contact with terrorists from Kot Bhalwal jail at Jammu.
About eighteen years ago Zia Mustafa was arrested in Shopian district for his involvement in the killings of Kashmiri Pandits and other innocent civilians.
The Poonch district police approached a court at Shopian for the custody of Zia Mustafa for further interrogation in ongoing CTO at Nar Khas.
Mustafa’s custody was given to district Poonch police and he was taken on a remand from Kot Balwhal jail to Mendhar on Saturday.
“On Sunday in the morning hours Zia Mustafa was taken to Nar Khas forest in a Bhata Durian area to identify the hiding place of the group of the terrorist with whom he allegedly was in touch from the jail” said sources.
As the party, consisted of police personnel, Army soldiers, was conducting a search for terrorist’s hiding place, terrorists opened fire and in the ensuing firefight two cops and a soldier received injuries and Zia Mustafa was also critically injured and couldn’t be removed from the area.
The injured cops and soldier were rescued to a nearby medical facility and additional forces were rushed to the firing site.
The body of the Zia Mustafa was later retrieved, but after that, no contact was established with the terrorists again.
The killing of Zia Mustafa (contact after four days) has once again established that the terrorists are still hiding in a very safe hideout/natural cave and might be getting logistic support from the OGWs.
But, Zia Mustafa’s contact with LeT handlers sitting across the LoC and with the hiding terrorists in Nar Khas forest has raised a question mark about the security at the Kot Bhalwal jail where he was lodged for the last many years.
Ongoing CTO was launched on the night of October 10 at Shahadra & DKG adjoining areas in Rajouri & Poonch districts.
On October 11, four soldiers, including a JCO attained martyrdom in a Chamrer forest, but terrorists managed to escape.
On October 14, another contact with terrorists was established in Nar Khas forest and here also three soldiers and a JCO attained martyrdom and since then the entire areas is under Security Force’s cordon.
