‘Operation Sheruwali’ in the forest area of Rajouri district entered its 38th day on Monday, with no trace yet of the heavily armed terrorists who engaged security forces in a gunfight on May 23.
Relentless and coordinated search operations are continuing in the Gambhir Mughlan forest area, where the terrorists are believed to be hiding.
The operation assumes significance as the nearly two-month-long annual Amarnath Yatra is scheduled to begin on July 3.
Launched following specific intelligence inputs, the Army, J&K Police and the CRPF have continued searches in the dense forest. The terrorists are believed to be hiding in a hideout deep inside the jungle, resulting in no further encounters since the initial gunfight.
Residents of nearby villages continued to hear intermittent firing from inside the forest until May 28. It is believed that security forces were firing at suspected terrorist hideouts.
The forces also searched several natural caves in the area but have not found any evidence so far. The forests of Rajouri and Poonch in the Pir Panjal region have numerous natural caves that have been used by terrorists as hideouts in the past.
General Officer Commanding of the White Knight Corps, Lt Gen PK Mishra, recently visited the headquarters of the Counter Insurgency Force (Romeo) to review the prevailing security situation and assess operational preparedness.
“He commended all ranks for their unwavering professionalism, dedication and relentless commitment in conducting counter-terrorism operations while appreciating their high morale, vigilance and steadfast efforts towards maintaining peace, stability and security in the region,” an official said.
Operation ‘Sheruwali’ has become one of the longest search operations in the Pir Panjal region in recent years. The Army, police and CRPF have maintained a tight cordon around the forest area to prevent the terrorists from escaping.
