Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 6: In what could be a major security concern, a day after audacious militant strike against Border Security Forces (BSF) at Udhampur on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, two militants armed with automatic rifles today boarded an Oil Tanker in Banihal area of Jammu region and crossed into Kashmir valley to vanish in Pir Panjal woods in South Kashmir.
Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have launched a massive search operation in Lower Munda area in the forests after Oil Tanker driver reported to the police about militants boarding the Oil tanker.
The Oil Tanker driver, Shanker Sharma of Ram Nagar Jammu this afternoon reported to the Police in Qazigund that two militants dressed in army uniform and armed with automatic rifles boarded his Oil Tanker at Banihal in Jammu region and crossed the Jawahar Tunnel towards Kashmir and de-boarded at Lower Munda and went inside the Pir Panjal forests.
As the driver narrated the story to the Police, a massive operation was launched in Lower Munda forest area and hundreds of Army, Police and CRPF personnel have been sent to the area.
The search operation was going on in the woods till reports last reached in. Reports said that troops don’t want to take any chance and are trying to track the two militants.
The security forces detained two Bakerwals form the woods and are questioning them about the whereabouts of two militants who are in the forest area. They have been identified as Mohammed Sadiq Poswal , a resident of Nagrota and Mohammed Qayyum Poswal of Udhampur.
In the meantime, police is looking for the driver of the truck in Kulgam who ferried the two militants to Udhampur for carrying out attack on a BSF convoy killing two jawans and injuring 11 others.
Reports said that the two militants had paid around Rs 20,000 to the truck driver to ferry them to Udhampur from Kulgam. The duo had arrived in Kulgam some one month back and were launched by the divisional commander of LeT, Abu Qasim for carrying out the attack at Udhampur.
These militants had infiltrated into North Kashmir during the first week of June and had gone to Kupwara, Lolab, Sopore forests, Khrew before reaching to Kulgam. The captured militant Mohammad Naveed had received 21 days training in handling arms at Muzaffarabad in February this year. He and his associates were tasked to carry out attacks on CRPF and BSF.
Earlier, security on the National Highway was beefed up after attack on BSF convoy yesterday. Special police teams have been formed to guard the highway and conduct vehicle checking.
Police conducted surprise checks of suspicious vehicles on National Highway at many places like Ramban, Banihal and Qazigund. Additional reinforcements have been deployed for checking the vehicles. The police stations along the highway have been asked to keep a watch on suspicious movements and take other security measures.
Follow our WhatsApp channel