Srinagar: Security forces unearthed a terrorist hideout in a forested area in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. Officials said that five Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), two wireless sets, binoculars and blankets.
“Five packets of urea, a five litre gas cylinder, three woolen caps, three blankets, some trousers and utensils were also found during the raid carried out by the Army’s Romeo Force and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police,” an official said.
According to him, two of the IEDs were planted inside steel buckets, while the other three were packed in tiffin boxes. These ready to use IEDs weighed between 0.5 kg and 5 kg. This clearly indicates that the terrorists were planning strikes at other locations in the border district. All the IEDs were destroyed in a controlled explosion on the spot.
“The camp was at Suranthal in the Marhote area of Surankote. Several such camps have been unearthed over the last several months. Weapons, ammunition and food supplies were found inside some camps. This points to plans of long-haul operations by terrorists,” the official added.
Security forces are on high alert after the terror strike in Pahalgam on April 22 that killed 26 persons, mostly tourists from across the country. Several Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of terror outfits have been rounded up after the massacre. They have led security forces to such camps.
“The OGWs keep these camps supplied with essentials. The terrorists just need to carry their weapons, ammunition and explosives. In this case, they were using locally sourced urea (fertilizer) as an explosive. Urea nitrate, made by mixing nitric acid to urea is a high-explosive,” another official said.
