With over 1,000 security personnel, major search operation launched in J&K’s Shopian to flush out Hizbul militants

The security forces on Wednesday launched a major search and combing operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district following inputs about a group of unidentified terrorists hiding in the area.
Jammu: The security forces have launched a major search and combing operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district following inputs about a group of heavily armed terrorists hiding in the nearby area.
According to ANI, the operation, which began at the midnight, involves nearly 1,000 security personnel, belonging to the Indian Army and Special Operations Group (SOG).
The ongoing search operation is being conducted in two villages – Heff and Shirmal – in the Shopian district.
The security personnel are conducting door-to-door search in these two villages to flush out terrorists holed up in the area.
Intelligence sources claimed nearly ten hardcore terrorists belonging to pro-Pakistan militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen are hiding in the dense forest near Shopian.
The operation comes at a time when Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and Army Chief General Bipin Rawat are due to arrive in Jammu and Kashmir to review the security situation amid heightened tension on the Line of Control (LoC) and student unrest in the Valley.
This would be Jaitley’s first visit to the state after he took over the additional charge from Manohar Parrikar.
The Defence Minister advanced his visit by a day since he was otherwise scheduled to chair the two-day long Goods and Services Tax (GST) council meeting beginning here on Thursday.
During his visit to the LoC, Jaitley would meet the field commanders.
He will be briefed on the overall preparedness of the army to meet challenges of ceasefire violations by Pakistan and the heightened risk of infiltration as the snow starts to thaw on the mountains.
Sources here said the ongoing students’ unrest fanning separatist sentiments in the valley would also remain in focus.
“The impact of an unrest on the overall security situation cannot be wished away. Therefore, the visit will also focus on ways and means to help the civil administration bring the situation under control,” a top official said.