SRINAGAR: Army, paramilitary and police have launched a massive cordon and search operation in a cluster of villages that fall between Shopian and Pulwama districts. They have started house-to-house searches and the operation is in progress, reports from Shopian said.
(A file picture of the crackdown in 1990s)
“These are general searches for the militants,” Tahir Saleem, SSP Shopian told Kashmir Life. “These are half a dozen villages and we are searches homes for militants.” He said there were certain tensions in Turka Wangam early morning which were managed.
Reports from the besieged belt said that the cordon is a joint exercise of 55-Rashtriya Rifles, 44 Rashtriya Rifles, 114 CRPF and police and SOG from Shopian. The villages which are in the broad siege include Heaf, Sugan, Chilipora, Malnad, and other neighbouring villages.
One police man talking off the record said the recent video of 30 militants is the main reason. They believe the location of that video is somewhere in this belt.
South Kashmir is intensely restive for some time as most of the militant actions are reported from the belt. There have been a series of militant attacks and a long chain of bank robbery incidents.
