Srinagar: Following reports that a large group of militants may have sneaked into Kashmir through Hajipir sector of the Line of Control (LoC), the Army has launched a major search operation in and around the Valley’s premier resort of Gulmarg in Baramulla district.
Reports received here said that the Army has been conducting searches in the area for the past one week and has, so far, detained two persons for questioning.
One report said that both of them identified by their first names Khalid and Nazim are residents of PoK and could be militants “guides”.
Some hotels and other properties in Gulmarg, 59-km from here, and its neighbourhood too were searched during past few days, the reports said.
The Army and J&K police have restricted movement of people in some of the areas put on a high alert earlier to make sure the operation is conducting in a smooth way and civilians are not put to any trouble unnecessary, the police sources here said.
The Army and the police have also asked the local residents to be vigilant and report the presence of any stranger in the area to them immediately.
Earlier reports had said that militants made repeated attempts to sneak into Kashmir Valley amid cross-LoC firing incidents in this sector. However, the Army is officially maintaining silence on the reported incidents.
The police sources said that two Indian forward posts- Ustad and Gulab- have come under attacks by militants after they sneaked two kilometers deep into the Indian side of the LoC.
Though the attacks were repulsed, the infiltrators are known to have moved quietly into nearby woods.
