Huge haul of arms, explosives in Doda

Excelsior Correspondent

Arms and ammunition recovered in Doda forest on Monday. - Excelsior/Tilak Raj
Arms and ammunition recovered in Doda forest on Monday.
– Excelsior/Tilak Raj

JAMMU, Sept 21:  Security forces today busted a militant hideout and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition from Gubbar forests in mountainous Doda district.
“Acting on specific information, Rashtriya Rifles battalion under Delta Force along with local police launched a swift and surgical joint search operation in Gubbar forest near Chirala Bowl in Doda district and busted a militant hideout”, official sources said.
The operation resulted in the recovery of huge cache of arms, ammunition and other war like stores, which included one Self Loading Rifle (SLR), two Chinese pistols, two 12 bore rifles, one .303 Rifle, one Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) Grenade, two Chinese Hand Grenades, one 51MM mortar bomb, six Self Loading Rifle (SLR) magazines and three pistol magazines, from a natural cave hideout in the Gubbar forests of Doda district.
A 303 rifle magazine, 10 rounds of 9 mm, ball ammunition, 891 rounds of 7.62mm SLR ammunition, one Night Vision Device (NVD), one Anti Personal Mine, one Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Sensor, one Binocular, one Walkman, one Pouch, and sustenance stores, were also recovered from the spot.
Sources said that the recovered arms reportedly belonged to one of the terrorist outfits of the area, active in the past, which could have been hidden for later usage.
Sources praised the “well synchronised” efforts by the forces in unearthing the ammunition.
“The recovery was possible only due to the accurate intelligence developed by the Army and Launching of well synchronised joint operation with Jammu and Kashmir police and CRPF in the dense forest, in a relentless day and night operation of 48 hours”, they said.
The Army said that the recovered arms and ammunition were handed over to Thathri police station wherein an FIR has been lodged.
“Recovery of such war like stores will prove detrimental to the revival of terrorism in the area and further strengthen the existing security grid”, sources said.
They added that the General Officer Commanding, Delta Force complimented the troops who took part in the operation and commented that the recovery of this cache is in continuation of the sustained efforts by Delta Force towards dismantling of terrorist infrastructure and support base of remnant terrorist in Chenab Valley.