People asked to stay indoors as Army carries out massive anti-militant operation in Poonch

The Army on Sunday launched a massive search operation in a forward area in Jammu and Kashmir’s border district of Poonch after troops picked up suspicious movement and opened fire, officials said.

No one was injured in the firing by the soldiers on patrolling duty at Keri in Mendhar sector around 3 am, they said.

Though there was no retaliation from the suspected persons, the Army launched a massive search operation in the area and adjoining forests to ensure that there is no presence of militants, the officials said.

All roads leading to the besieged vast area were closed and the residents were asked to stay indoors as a precautionary measure, they said, adding the searches were completed in the populated area but no one was arrested.

However, the combing operation is still going on in the woods but there was no contact with the suspected mililitants so far, the officials said.

The nearby Bhata Dhurian witnessed a deadly ambush by militants on an Army vehicle on April 20, resulting in the killing of five soldiers and injuries to a major-rank officer.

At least six overground workers were arrested for providing shelter to the militants.

However, the attackers are still at large and efforts are on to neutralise them, with the Army almost conducting daily search operations and area domination patrols, according to officials.