AK rifle, war-like stores recovered from Ashdar Gali; search operation continues in Yousmarg forest belt
Budgam, Sep 04 (BuzzBytes): One terrorist was killed and an AK rifle along with other war-like stores were recovered during a joint operation by the Indian Army, J&K Police and CRPF in the Ashdar Gali area of Budgam district, officials said on Friday, as the operation entered its second day.
An Army official told that the operation was launched based on specific intelligence inputs and had been underway since Thursday evening, when troops first heard suspicious gunshots during the initial cordon in the forested Yousmarg belt bordering Budgam and Poonch, at an elevation of nearly 15,000 feet.
In a post on social media platform X, the Army’s Chinar Corps said that a joint search operation was launched by the Indian Army, J&K Police and CRPF in the general area of Ashdar Gali, Budgam. “Based on specific intelligence input, a Joint Search Operation was launched by Indian Army, J&K Police and CRPF in general area Ashdar Gali, Budgam. Vigilant troops observed suspicious activity and, upon being challenged, terrorists opened fire, prompting a fierce exchange of gunfire, during which one terrorist was neutralised and one AK rifle along with other war-like stores were recovered,” the Army said.
The operation was resumed at first light on Friday morning after the overnight cordon-and-search action, with security forces intensifying searches across the difficult, high-altitude terrain of the Pir Panjal range. The Army said the search operation in the area was still in progress.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Zone Sujit Kumar reached near the operation site in Budgam to take stock of the ongoing operation. Officials said that security forces have been conducting searches in the area since Thursday following the exchange of fire, while further searches are being carried out to ensure that no other threat remains in the area. The operation was ongoing when this report was filed—(BuzzBytes)
