War-like stores seized from forest area in north Kashmir in joint operations of security forces

           The Border Security Force (BSF), along with other security forces, today busted a major militant hideout, thwarting terrorists’ plans to carry out attacks during the forthcoming parliamentary elections in the Kupwara and Lolab areas.

In joint operations, the security forces recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition and other war-like stores, the BSF said.

The operation was launched jointly by the BSF, Army and police.

“Based on specific information received by the BSF regarding the presence of a terrorist hideout in Gungbugh (Sogam) forest, joint search operations were launched by the BSF, Army and police,” a BSF spokesman said. He said during the search operations, a terrorist hideout containing a large quantity of war-like stores was found.

The recoveries include six UBGLs, five hand grenades, 23 Chinese hand grenades, nine 40-mm MGL rounds, a pistol, nine pistol magazines, 65 pistol rounds, an AK-47 rifle, five AK magazines, 1,135 AK rounds, 13 UBGL grenades, an IED and 175 Pika gun rounds among other items, said an agency report.

“It is reliably learnt that the terrorists were planning to use these war-like stores to carry out terrorist activities during the forthcoming parliamentary elections in the Kupwara and Lolab areas,” the BSF said.

The BSF said the operation delivered a major blow to the nefarious designs of PoJK-based terrorist groups which have always aspired to disturb peace and tranquillity in the Kashmir valley.”

Meanwhile, BSF Director General Nitin Agrawal reviewed the operational preparedness of the BSF along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir. “The BSF DG visited the forward area in Srinagar sector near the LoC and reviewed the operational preparedness of the unit deployed there. The DG also motivated the troops and applauded them for their commitment despite the extreme weather conditions and terrain,” the BSF, Kashmir, posted on X.

BSF Inspector General (Kashmir Frontier) Ashok Yadav accompanied the DG of BSF during the LoC visit.

Earlier, Yadav had said chances of infiltration could increase during events like the General Election. However, he had said security forces were alert and capable enough to foil any such bids.

Courtesy: The Tribune India: 13th April , 2024