Two desperadoes thinking that they were safe in the jungles had been zeroed upon! Thereafter it was only a matter of time!
-‘The men of 48 RR and a band of men in Khakis on the hunt led by a brave lady Sheema Nabi Qasba SP Rajouri ensured that the men from across with rifles were subdued in a bullet melee where it is now a foregone conclusion that the winner has to be only one! It happened that way!’
-‘Our men on the prowl looked at each other, just a quick glance to and fro, but it was enough for them to see that they had made their bets. The two were firing as no hopers do and when the barrels explode the game is free and fair, I mean the game of death. They missed everything and our boys got both of them and from the tree line in the mountains in Thanna Mandi, the chorus of dead rasped, why the hell we came in here to die a forlorn death.’
-‘ It was in January this year when the intelligence reports said that, several Pakistan-based terror teams, comprising terrorists from Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahedeen (HM) are hiding in various forward areas of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir waiting to infiltrate into India to carry out suicide attacks in Kashmir and beyond. Infac we too had written elaborately on it and this was before the ceasefire in February. It was revealed that terrorists belonging to these terror groups had been given clear instructions to carry out attacks on Army installations in Jammu and Kashmir. All these terror groups are working separately and are desperately trying to infiltrate into India. The local sources said that one group of Lashkar terrorists comprising six terrorists, led by a commander ranked terrorist, was camping in Poonch district of Pakistan occupied Kashmir. They have been given the task of assisting in carrying out a BAT-led (Pakistan’s Border Action Team) terror attack on Indian soldiers. The attacks were planned to be silent but nothing happened. But the reports were not speculation because the local sources kept saying that something was happening and Lashkar, Hizbul terrorists were waiting at launch pads to infiltrate into India’!
-‘ At that time there were also reports that four Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists were also camping near the International Border (IB) in the Kathua sector and were waiting to cross India through a tunnel with the help of an accomplice. Incidentally the Indian Army had unearthed several such tunnels dug from POK’s side to send terrorists across to India.’
-‘The intelligence gathered also suggested that these four terrorists would infiltrate into India and walk towards NH 44 to board a commercial vehicle for their onward journey. Another batch of six Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists, including two individuals identified as Nazim and Shadaq were also moving adjacent to Indian assets on the Naushera sector to carry out attacks on Indian soldiers. A group of seven heavily armed terrorists were residing in terror camps in Datote of Pachiot village, PoK. This group, which was desperate to enter India, had already made two unsuccessful attempts. What happened after that is not known but the reports trickling in did say that the infiltration attempts would be made. Obviously the two gunned down today did not drop from the skies. Both yet far were unidentified but they were carrying the weapons and ammunition and that could not have been without a reason’!
This was anticipated but not expected as the two had managed to get into the forests in Thanna Mandi. But the information was spot on as the men of 48 RR and Rajouri Police got into the action mold. The target had been zeroed and the best plans had been laid. For them who were going to take part the enthusiasm was brimming. Rajouri Police was led by SSP Sheema Nabi Qasba. It was something… the men picked up speed, life was like a bullet aimed at one final target, impossible to slow or turn aside, and like the bullet, they were ignorant of what they were going to hit, would never know anything except the rush and the impact at the end of it all. And what happened was something like this:
The firing started as soon as security forces zeroed-in on the location of the terrorists and contact was made.
It was a group of three to four terrorists of which two are foreign terrorists, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Jammu Zone, Mukesh Singh said. He further added that we feel they have moved from Kashmir to this side.
Security forces were tracking a group of terrorists in the forest belts of the district for the past one month through digital surveillance.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajouri Sheema Nabi Qasba, was supervising the operation.
Army in a statement said that two unknown militants were in Thanamandi area of Rajouri district of Jammu. A joint cordon and search operation by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police was launched a couple of days back, based on specific input.
Army launched a joint cordon and search operation with Jammu and Kashmir Police in a forested area of remote Pangai village after getting information about the presence of suspected militants.
The statement further stated that two militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces in the higher reaches of Thanamandi. However, the identity of the slain militants couldn’t be established as of now.
Killing of two militants is testimony to the alertness of the Security Forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police and their resolve to thwart the nefarious designs of the anti national elements. This was after a long time that a firefight broke out in Rajouri belt which was lying light.
DIG Pooch-Rajouri Range Vivek Gupta was closely monitoring the action taking place.
These guys are absolutely fearless as they face bullets coming in from everywhere and anywhere. The terrorist with a gun and ammunition and hiding can do anything unpredictable because he is watching you. It is only after the contact is made the barrels of the gun start talking and barrel talk with the finger on the trigger is dangerous. It’s either he or you. He fights like a coward but you have to push on to get him! This is the story of every single encounter which has taken place in the Nation and the countless one in Jammu and Kashmir. This was the latest addition to this never ending book. This was a first-hand report of the riveting anti-terror encounter that took place in the forests of Thanna Mandi where people were hearing the fury of the bullets after a very long time and hopefully the last time! I’m saying so with fingers crossed though!
