 ASIF IQBAL NAIK
Early Times Report
JAMMU, June 4: Security forces achieved major success by busting a cave hideout of Hizbul Mujahideen in Chichha forest belt of Kishtwar.
As per the details available with Early Times, on the basis of specific information, joint operation group of 17 Rashtriya Rifles and Jammu and Kashmir Police along with 52 CRPF, launched an operation in Chichha forest belt, an uphill area around Dool/Nagsini.
During the process, they busted a cave hideout used by Pakistan sponsored Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists operating in the area.
While searching for the hideout, security forces recovered large quantities of arms and ammunition that included one AK 56 rifle, one magazine with 27 rounds, one under-barrel grenade launcher (UBGL), one 9 mm pistol, one pistol magazine with 6 rounds. With the busting of this cave hideout, security forces have thwarted Hizbul’s plan to carry out a terror-related activity in that area.
As the snow starts to melt, the Sinthan Pass connecting Kishtwar district with volatile South Kashmir began opening up and militants use it to infiltrate to and fro to Kishtwar to destabilize its peace and tranquility that witnessed killings of RSS and BJP leaders during 2018 and 2019.
The cave hideout busted by the security forces was similar to the one used till few years back by Al-Qaeda terrorists in Tora Bora heights of Afghanistan.
“Opening of the hideout was too small for anyone to suspect the presence of terrorists inside. But once security personnel crawled into the hideout, they found there was ample space to accommodate four to five terrorists at a time,” informed sources.
Besides dumping arms and ammunition these caves served as safe shelters for terrorists. One of the longest surviving and top Hizbul Commander, Jehangir Saroori active since last over three decades in the area along with his associates Muddasir and Riaz has been using a network of cave hideouts in Kishtwar heights to flee from watchful eyes of security personnel after Kishtwar police announced Rs 30 lakh cash reward on information that could lead to killing or arrest of the trio.
On several occasions, these caves have come to Saroori’s rescue as he was able to give slip to raiding parties by taking shelter inside these caves. |
