Shyam Sood
Rajouri, Nov 2: Ongoing Counter-Terrorist Operation (CTO) in the Nar Khas forested area in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch district has entered the 23rd day on Tuesday without any success against the group of terrorists involved in the killing of soldiers.
However, in the latest development, the police have made the first formal arrest in this case, namely Yasser Arafat resident of Bhat Dhurian who allegedly have helped the terrorists.
“His (Yasser) involvement has been figured during the investigation after an FIR was registered at the Gursai police station after the killing of four soldiers including a JCO on October 14” the police said.
Sources said Yasser was in contact with Zia Mustafa, a Pakistani terrorist of LeT outfit and lodged in Kot Bhalwal jail at Jammu as well as with LeT handlers sitting across the LoC.
However, the police said his involvement in militancy-related activisties was figured during the investigation of the case.
The police have rounded up several suspects for helping and providing logistic support to the terrorists in the Nar Khas forested area, but no one was formally arrested yet except Yasser.
After the killing of Zia Mustafa, who was brought to the Nar Khas forest from Jammu jail for the identification of the hideouts/ natural caves where the terrorists had taken the shelter, but was killed on October 24 in the firing.
Since October 24 no contact was established with the hiding group of terrorists.
Reliable sources said that though the security Forces officially have not called off the on-going CTO, but some troops have been withdrawn from the Nar Khas area and all the escaping routes of the terrorists, if alive/ not escaped, are still under the observation of the Army, Para-Military Forces state police.
