SRINAGAR: A massive joint anti-militancy operation in the forested areas of Rajouri district entered its ninth day on Sunday, with militants still untraced despite repeated contacts and intermittent exchanges of fire with security forces.
The operation, codenamed Operation Sheruwali, is underway in the dense forest stretches of Gambhir Mughlan and Dorimal in the Manjakote sector, following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of militants hiding in the area.
Officials said security forces, including the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), have intensified the search with additional reinforcements and logistical support deployed across the rugged terrain. Para commandos have been pressed into service, while aerial surveillance is being carried out using helicopters, alongside sniffer dogs to track movement within the thick forest cover.
According to officials, around two to three militants are believed to be trapped inside the cordoned-off zone. They said the area has been placed under a strict security grid to prevent any possible escape, with all suspected exit routes through the forest belt sealed.
The operation has seen extensive combing and deep search efforts under heightened surveillance, with forces maintaining a tight perimeter around the forest region. Officials reiterated that all available resources were being utilised to trace the militants.
The forest belt continues to remain under stringent security watch as the coordinated operation proceeds for the ninth consecutive day.
