The search operation to track down a group of armed terrorists entered its twentieth day on Thursday, with security forces yet to achieve a breakthrough in the dense forest area of Rajouri district.
The operation, codenamed ‘Sheruwali’, is underway in the forests of Gambhir Mughlan, where personnel from the Army, J&K Police and CRPF are engaged in sustained efforts to locate the terrorists, who are believed to be Pakistani nationals.
Although there has been no visible sign of the terrorists since the initial encounter on May 23, intelligence agencies believe they may be hiding in natural caves deep inside the forest. Such caves are found in large numbers across the forested areas of Rajouri and Poonch districts in the Pir Panjal region.
The heavy deployment of security forces has also restricted the movement of any potential support network.
Overground workers typically provide food, water and other essentials to Pakistani terrorists who infiltrate into Indian territory and take shelter in forest areas. However, officials believe the extensive security presence has made it difficult for terror associates to reach the hiding militants.
While the Army is maintaining the inner cordon, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the J&K Police is closely assisting in the search efforts. The CRPF has been tasked with securing the outer cordon. The entire Gambhir Mughlan forest area remains encircled to prevent the terrorists from slipping through the security net.
Sources said the terrorists are believed to be highly trained in jungle warfare, enabling them to survive in the dense forests for an extended period. Security forces had earlier busted a hideout soon after the initial encounter, recovering food supplies and water from the site.
Officials have not ruled out the possibility of another hideout within the forest that may be providing the terrorists access to essential supplies, allowing them to survive despite the tight cordon.
On June 6, Lieutenant Beereshwar Goswami, who was part of the search operation, lost his life after reportedly falling into a deep gorge.
The Army’s White Knight Corps had stated that Lt Goswami died while undertaking operational duties in an area “characterised by rugged terrain, steep cliffs and adverse weather conditions”.
