Pakistani terrorists operating in the Billawar forest belt of Kathua and the Kishtwar districts for more than a year, have set up well-equipped kitchens inside their hideouts in dense forests, indicating prolonged presence and logistical support.
Security forces have achieved a significant breakthrough in Kishtwar where they today busted an underground hideout of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists located at an altitude of 12,000 feet in the Singhpura area of Chhatroo.
The hideout, cleverly carved with multiple entry and exit points, could accommodate over four terrorists at a time and was equipped with essentials like food, cooking gas, desi ghee, cereals, and blankets.
The Army, paramilitary forces and J&K Police have launched a massive operation to flush out Pakistani terrorists from the mountain hideouts in the Jammu region.
The hideout’s discovery comes as security forces continue to cordon off the area, with multiple teams, including the Army, police, and CRPF, supported by drones and sniffer dogs, combing the mountain terrain.
Police said two empty M4 cartridges, a plastic box with desi ghee, a polythene packet of almonds, hand gloves, a cap, a blanket, a tarpaulin sheet, a small pouch, and a polythene bag were also recovered from the hideout.
Security forces have so far discovered three hideouts also in the Kathua district, SSP Mohita Sharma recently said.
Cooking gas cylinder, cooking oil, a charger wire, hand gloves, cooking and eating utensils, an empty oil gallon, large plastic bags, a torch, blankets, a container, and wrappers of eatables, among other miscellaneous items, were recovered from the hideouts.
Acting on intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists in the forest region of Kamaad Nallah, Kalaban, and Dhanu Parole in the Billawar area, joint teams launched a search operation.