Combing operations enter Day 5 in Poonch

JAMMU: With the operation to track down terrorists who escaped after an encounter in Lasana in Poonch district of J&K entering the fifth day on Friday, Bhim Sen Tuti, IGP of Jammu zone, visited the district to assess operational readiness of troops.

“Troops of counterinsurgency force Romeo, SOG of the police, and CRPF are conducting search operations supported by sniffer dogs and aerial surveillance,” Tuti said.

A brief exchange of fire took place between terrorists and security forces in Lasana village on Monday. “Terrorism is a stark reality here. It has resurfaced over the last one-and-a-half to two years. We have enhanced our capacity,” he told reporters, adding that terrorists aim to create fear through targeted killings and destabilize peace and tranquillity in the region. He also visited forward areas along the Sangiote and Bhata Dhurian axis, engaging with jawans and officers deployed there.