Terrorist hideout busted in Kupwara; arms and explosives recovered

Security forces on Tuesday (January 6) busted a terrorist hideout during a joint Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in the Putusai area of Sogam in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, officials said, marking another success in the ongoing counter-terrorism operations in the region. According to officials, the operation was carried out based on specific intelligence inputs regarding the presence of a terrorist hideout in the area.

Troops of 47 Rashtriya Rifles, 31 Battalion of the Border Security Force (BSF), and 8 Sector Rashtriya Rifles jointly launched the search operation in the general area of Putusai, which falls under the jurisdiction of Police Station Sogam. The area was first cordoned off to prevent any movement, following which a thorough search was conducted. The operation began in the morning hours and continued till the evening amid tight security arrangements.

During the systematic search of the area, security forces detected and busted a concealed hideout used by terrorists to store arms and ammunition. A cache of arms, ammunition, and explosives was recovered from the spot. The seized items included 34 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition, 18 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, one pistol magazine, one Pakistani hand grenade, four Chinese grenades, and one ammunition pouch.

Officials said the recovery has dealt a significant blow to terrorist logistics and their operational capability in the area, as the hideout was allegedly being used to stockpile weapons for future attacks. They added that such recoveries indicate sustained efforts by security forces to dismantle the terror infrastructure in north Kashmir.

No arrests were reported during the operation. The area was later sanitized to ensure there were no additional threats or hidden materials.

Further investigation is underway to ascertain the ownership of the recovered arms and explosives, trace the network involved, and identify the individuals responsible for establishing the hideout. Security forces have intensified surveillance and search operations in the region to prevent any attempt to revive terrorist activities.