For the tenth consecutive day, the Romeo Force of the Indian Army and the Special Operations Group (SOG) continued their joint anti-terror operation in the forest area of Lasana in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district. The ongoing search, which began on April 15, follows an exchange of gunfire between terrorists and security forces a day earlier.
Security forces have tightly cordoned off the region, focusing operations in the dense forested zones where terrorists are believed to be hiding. According to officials, terrorists opened fire on Romeo Force personnel near Lasana village, situated along the Poonch-Jammu National Highway. One security personnel was injured in the incident.
In response, authorities have intensified security measures along the Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch Highway (NH-144).
Rajouri Traffic Police officer Ahmed Din stated, “We are checking local cars by checking their licences. We are not allowing a loaded truck as it may create a jam. Traffic Police are there, the District Police are there, and the Army is also supporting us. 24/7 nakas are there.”
Meanwhile, in a separate operation on Wednesday, the Chinar Corps of the Indian Army reported the recovery of arms and ammunition in Baramulla district.
Posting on social media platform X, the Chinar Corps said:
“Update: OP TIKKA, Baramulla: Two AK Series Rifles, five Magazines, one Pistol, ten Kgs of RC IED and other war-like stores have been recovered from the site. The identity of terrorists is being ascertained.”
These operations come amid an intensified security crackdown following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, mostly tourists, in what is being described as the worst attack in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama bombing.
In another incident, the Indian Army successfully thwarted a cross-border infiltration attempt near the Line of Control (LOC) in the Uri sector. Intelligence agencies had been tracking the movement of terrorists near the LOC for days.
“Last night, we carried out a counter-infiltration operation. For the last few days, our security forces were continuously getting information about the movement of Pakistani terrorists in the Uri sector through our intelligence agencies… On the intervening night of 22 and 23 April, at around 1 am, the Indian army got to know about the presence of terrorists at a launchpad near the Uri nallah,” said Brigadier Mayank Shukla of the 161 Brigade.
Around 3 am, terrorists attempted to cross the LOC and were met with heavy resistance from Indian troops. After a two-hour exchange of fire, two terrorists were neutralized. Security personnel recovered two AK rifles, a 9mm Chinese pistol, magazines, and a large cache of ammunition.
These intensified operations reflect a broader effort by Indian security forces to neutralize terrorism and prevent future attacks in the Kashmir Valley, following one of the deadliest incidents in the region since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.