J&K: Terrorist associate held in Poonch border village

Poonch (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 30 (ANI): Security forces arrested a terrorist associate in Mangnar village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Tuesday, police said.

Senior Supterintendent of Police (SSP), Yougal Manhas, said in a statement that the terrorist was held along with a consignment of arms and ammunition.

“In a joint operation, the Indian Army Romeo Force and Special Operations Group Poonch Police arrested one terrorist associate in Mangnar village with arms and ammunition, a resident of Gurez and captured him in Poonch with a consignment of arms and ammunition,” SSP Manhas said.

Further details are awaited, he said.

Meanwhile, pointing to the increasing terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference Chief Farooq Abdullah said that the central government should take steps to stop terrorism, adding that the situation is “alarming and dangerous”.

“If this (terrorism) continues, Hindustan will not be able to tolerate it. The people of Hindustan would like to see their country take some steps to curb terrorism. There is no doubt that terrorism is on rise and trained people (terrorists) are coming here. May God save us from this trouble,” Farooq told reporters here.

The former Chief Minister of the erstwhile state, urged Pakistan to shun the path of terrorism and suggested that it should talk peace.”We will pray that God puts some sense into their heads. (Pakistan). It (terrorism) will not solve the matter but rather turn it worse. They should repeatedly think through it and try to walk on the path of peace,” he added.

His comments came in the wake of an uptick in terrorist activities, especially in the Jammu region, in the past few weeks.

Responding to the recent attack by Pakistan’s Border Action Team (which included commandos from the Pakistan Army and terrorists) along the Line of Control in Kupwara district, Farooq said, “It will happen now. Trained people are coming…The way they are attacking, it seems they are very trained. It is a very big danger.”

Earlier in the month, one Pakistani intruder was killed as Indian Army troops foiled an attack by the Pakistan Border Action Team (BAT) along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Machchal sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district.

One Indian Army soldier had lost his life, while four others, including a major-rank officer, sustained injuries in the attack.

In the last few months, there has been a spike in terror attacks in the Jammu region, including the terror attack on an army convoy in Kathua and encounters in Doda and Udhampur.