The search operation in Udhampur’s Majalta area continued after two Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists were killed during Operation Sohan on September 17.
According to security officials, a third militant is believed to have sustained injuries during the exchange of fire and escaped into the forest. Security forces have expanded the search beyond the immediate encounter site as they try to locate him.
The Army’s White Knight Corps, Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) are conducting joint cordon and search operations in the area.
Five districts on high alert
Security agencies have placed Kathua, Samba, Udhampur, Doda and Kishtwar on high alert following the suspected escape of the injured militant.
The security alert has also led to increased checking and surveillance on important roads and routes in the region. Forces are monitoring forest areas and possible routes that could be used by the militant to move away from Majalta.
Forces are using drones, sniffer dogs and helicopters equipped with thermal surveillance systems to assist the search in the difficult terrain.
How Operation Sohan began
Operation Sohan was launched during the night of September 16-17 after security agencies received intelligence inputs about suspected militant movement in the Brattal Sohan and Khubban forest areas of Majalta.
The Army, J&K Police and CRPF jointly launched the operation. Security forces faced difficult terrain, poor visibility and challenging weather conditions during the operation.
Two militants were subsequently killed in the encounter. Security agencies identified them as Pakistani JeM terrorists Saddam and Mustafa. Arms and ammunition were also recovered from the encounter site.
The operation has continued because of the possibility that another militant escaped from the encounter site.
Forensic teams examine escape route
Investigators are also examining evidence that could help establish the route taken by the injured militant.
Forensic teams are examining bloodstains and other traces reportedly found along the suspected escape route. Recovered mobile phones and other equipment from the slain militants have also been sent for forensic examination to establish possible contacts and links.
A suspected over-ground worker has also reportedly been detained and questioned as part of the investigation into possible logistical support provided to the militant group.
Dense forests make search difficult
The Majalta area has dense forests and hilly terrain, making the search operation challenging. Security agencies had earlier received inputs about suspicious movement in the area, following which surveillance was increased.
The terrain provides natural cover and makes it difficult for security forces to track a person moving through the forest. This has led agencies to combine ground searches with aerial and thermal surveillance.
Earlier security operations
The latest operation comes amid other counter-terrorism activity in the Jammu region.
On September 15, Rajouri Police reportedly arrested three suspected over-ground workers in a case involving logistical support to Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists. The police claimed that the suspects provided assistance, routes and other support to militants.
Earlier, on September 9, a decomposed body believed to be that of a Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist was recovered from the Doda forests. An M4 rifle with night-vision equipment was also reportedly recovered nearby.
Security agencies are now maintaining heightened alert across the five districts as the search for the suspected injured militant continues.
