It has been over 100 hours now that Government forces have been searching for two to three militants in the densely forested area of Gadol in Kokernag belt — nearly 35 kilometers south of Anantnag district headquarters.
Three officers, including two from the Army and one police DySP, were killed when they tried to approach a militant hideout in the middle of the forest.
As per a an NDTV report, the rough terrain has not been favourable to the Government forces so far, but the search for the militants is still going on– drones and quadcopters have been pushed into service.
The Militants, NDTV reported, are from the Lashkar-e-Taiba. They are believed to be hiding in a cave in the forest area, a tactically favourable location for them. Dense forests, hills, and ditches make the area extremely treacherous. The area is also connected to the Pir Panjal range.
On Wednesday, the Government force personnel tried to reach the hideout through the only route available but came under heavy firing from the militants. Caught between the hills on one side and a deep ditches on another, the forces were left without any cover. Three officers – Colonel Manpreet Singh and Major Ashish Dhonchak and Deputy Superintendent of Police Himayun Bhat were killed in action. Another soldier is believed to be missing, as per the report.
As per the report, as the forces were going for the final assault, the heavy rain hampered the operations on Saturday and the firing was put at a halt which offered the militants more opportunities to plan their moves, increasing challenges for the government forces.
Massive fire had also broken out in the forests during heavy shelling, but was put off by the rain.
The militants appear to be well-trained in jungle and high-altitude warfare, according to the NDTV report, and they look to be ready for a protracted fight. The article also speculates that it may have taken some time to set up the logistics in such hazardous terrain.
The army have used sophisticated weapons to target suspected hideouts while firing hundreds of motor rounds and rockets throughout the past 100 hours. Drones and quadcopters are being used to keep an eye on any movement in the area.
Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, commander of the Army’s Northern Command, was briefed on the employment of cutting-edge weapons and equipment against militants while he was at the encounter location yesterday.
Though several reports have put the number of killed militants at two and three, the officials have not made any statements on the issue.