- More Nnrco, arms/ammunition recoveries on their disclosure can’t be ruled out: Sources
- About 30 kg of heroin recovered worth crores of Rupees.
- Major tragedy averted by Army, pressure cooker IED defused on spot.
Shyam Sood
Rajouri, May 31: In a major success against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, the Indian Army on the intervening night of May 30 & 31 foiled an infiltration bid in the Poonch district and apprehended three hard-core terrorists along with a consignment of drugs, 10 Kg IED, arms & ammunition.
All the apprehended are residents of Karmara village situated along LoC in the Poonch sector and were about 2 kilometers away from their villages when the alert troops of the Indian Army challenged them.
Sources said a group of 3-4 terrorists attempted an infiltration bid at about midnight near the Indian Army’s forward post-Chetan at about midnight in Khari-Karmara area.
Indian troops minutely monitored their movement and chased them. On challenging them, a brief exchange of fire took place in which one intruder was injured while the fourth, reportedly a Pakistan resident, managed to flee back towards PoJK.
Apprehended terrorists have been identified as Mohd Farooq (26) s/o Mohd Rafeeq (injured); Mohd Riaz (23) s/o Mohd Farooq, and Mohd Zubir (22) s/o Mohd Razaq all residents of village Karmara.
“Army in a joint operation with J&K Police intercepted 3-4 terrorists on Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district, while attempting to cross the fence on the intervening night of May 30 & 31. After tracking their movement at about 1.30 am a well-sited Indian Army ambush on challenging them was fired upon & in the retaliatory firefight, some terrorists have been hit,” said PRO Defence, Lt Col Devender Anand.
“Three terrorists with weapons, warlike stores, including IED and Narco have been recovered from the area. One soldier was also injured in the firefight” he added.
The recovery includes 1-AK 56 rifle with balance 10 rounds in the magazine (rest ammunition was fired by the injured terrorist); 2- Pistols, along with 2 magazines and 70 rounds; 1-10 Kg IED (destroyed on the spot); 6- Chinese hand grenades, and about 30 kg of heroin like substance (20 packets).
The injured terrorist is under treatment in the district hospital in Poonch.
It is believed that like in the past Pakistan sponsored terrorist groups and ISI provided the consignment of arms and narcotics to smuggle it into this side to further fuel the terror incidents in Rajouri & Poonch districts.
Reliable sources said that more recoveries of arms, ammunition, drugs etc can’t be ruled out during the next few days from hideouts on the disclosure of three terrorists as all three are residents of border village and hard-core OGWs as well as terrorists.
All three were taken to the spot in the late evening hours by a team comprising of police, CRPF, and later joined by the Army.
Some leads related to the identification of the terrorists involved in an attack on the Army truck on April 20 on the Jammu-Poonch highway, in which 5 soldiers attained martyrdom, also can’t be ruled out during their sustained interrogation.
