Kashmir: Ahead of elections, Army seizes large quantity of arms, ammunition

Srinagar: The Indian army said on Sunday it has recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition in the Kashmir Valley, terming it a “major success” at ensuring peaceful elections in the state. “In two different operations at the LoC (Line of Control) and hinterland, the army intercepted and recovered huge quantity of weapons and ammunition thereby preventing their falling into the hands of terrorists at a sensitive time when Kashmir is going through Assembly elections,” defence spokesperson, Col. NN Joshi said. “This is being seen as major success towards ensuring conduct of peaceful elections in Valley. “In the first operation launched by alert troops deployed along the LoC, a huge haul of weapons including 18 AK-47 rifles and five pistols were intercepted, thereby preventing them from falling in the hands of terrorists operating in Kashmir. A potential threat to disruption of elected related activities has thus been prevented. [caption id=“attachment_1796683” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] In the second operation launched jointly by army and state police, based on specific inputs, at Hajibal forest area, Baramulla, early Sunday resulted in discovery of a well-entrenched hideout in Bosian forest from which large quantity of weapons, ammunition and other war like stores including a sniper rifle, two pistols, two UBGLs, 23 UBGL grenades, 18 hand grenade, six RPGs, two mortar bombs, assorted ammunition and belted ammunition were recovered. “The hideout seems to have been used by transient terrorists as a safe hiding place and the destruction of same will further enhance the safe environs on fringe areas of Baramulla town. This is a major setback to terrorist operating around Baramulla,” he said. “These operations, when seen in conjunction with the arrest of the militant and grenade throwing incident in last 48 hours, indicates the desperate attempts by terrorists to disrupt the so far peaceful election-related activities and success of security forces in thwarting such ill designs,” said the spokesman. Col Joshi said that 15 Corps commander, Lt. Gen. Subrata Saha commended “the alert troops on LoC and hinterland for maintaining a robust counter infiltration and counter terrorist grid”. IANS