Even as police detained three more persons including two brothers for allegedly providing food and shelter to the terrorists hiding in the forest area of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, there is no fresh contact with terrorists as the encounter entered the 20th day today.
On the 20th successive day today, forces continued combing and search operations in the Bhatta Durrian forests of Mendhar tehsil in Poonch district. Special teams have entered deep into the forest but there is new contact with the terrorists, believed to be hiding in some natural caves.
Although forces have nabbed some suspects allegedly for providing support to terrorists, no authentic input has been received about the exact location on the hideouts of terrorists after committing two attacks on forces.
Two days ago, during the search operation in Bhata Durian forest by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police JKP, two small boxes were seen. The boxes were suspected to be the IEDs, so destroyed in situ.
Two brothers, women among 20 arrested for supporting terrorists
According to police, 20 persons including two real brothers and some women have been nabbed by the forces for allegedly providing support to terrorists.
Those arrested include Mohammad Arif, 24, and Mohammad Tariq, 22, both brothers and sons of Mohammad Rashid and Wahid Iqbal son of Mohammad Khurshid, all residents of Bhatta Durrian.
Nearly 20 persons have been detained so far. They include some women. Three persons were nabbed from Kathmandu in Nepal.
On October 25, police arrested three suspects, hailing from Mendhar, from Kathmandu in Nepal from where they were trying to flee to Saudi Arabia as they had reportedly helped the terrorists operating in Bhatta Durrian forests.
The officials identified them as Mohammad Noor alias Noori son of Mohammad Yousaf alias Rusla, a resident of Gulhutta Mendhar, Mohammad Rashid son of Mohammad Sharief, and Yasar Arafat son of Mohammad Khurshid, both residents of Bhatta Durrian and presently putting up in Ludhiana in Punjab.
Police had a tip-off that the trio was in touch with the terrorists operating in Bhatta Durrian forests and as soon as Army launched operations in the jungle, they fled to Nepal on their way to Saudi Arabia.
A team of Poonch Police was deputed to Kathmandu and all three were nabbed before they could board the Saudi Arabia flight. They have been shifted to Mendhar for sustained interrogation to ascertain their exact role in helping the terrorists in Bhatta Durrian forests.
Nine soldiers including two JCOs killed in encounter
Nine Army soldiers, two of the Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs), have been killed in action so far in Chamrer forests of Surankote and Bhatta Durrian jungles of Mendhar in the gun battles with the terrorists.
Nine soldiers including two JCOs were killed while terrorists managed to escape unhurt after committing two back-to-back deadly attacks on the troops engaged in combing and search operations in the forest area on the border of Poonch and Rajouri districts.
