Terror Hideout Busted In J&K's Rajouri, Four Hand Grenades Recovered

In a major achievement, security forces busted a terror hideout in the Gambhir Mughlan area of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir during intensified search operations, officials said. A joint team of the Indian Army’s 49 Rashtriya Rifles and the Jammu and Kashmir Police recovered four hand grenades from the hideout, which were later destroyed in a controlled manner.

The operation was launched following specific intelligence inputs about a suspected terror hideout in the area. Search operations were underway to ensure that the region is completely cleared of any remaining threats, officials added.

The recovery in Rajouri comes days after another significant operation by the Special Operation Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police in Doda

district. On December 7, acting on precise intelligence, the SOG recovered one SLR rifle, two magazines and 22 live rounds from the Bhalara Forest area under the jurisdiction of Thathri Police Station. The operation was conducted under the supervision of SSP Doda Sandeep Mehta, ANI reported, citing an official release.

The release stated that the recovery marked a crucial step in strengthening the security grid in the region and preventing the possible misuse of arms and ammunition by anti-social or anti-national elements. It added that the operation once again underlined the Jammu and Kashmir Police’s commitment to maintaining peace, stability and public safety in Doda district. A probe was launched to trace the origin of the recovered weapon and identify those responsible for concealing it.

Earlier in November, the Shopian police carried out major, coordinated raids across the district, targeting individuals and premises linked to the banned organisation Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir has been banned multiple times, most recently in 2019 for alleged “anti-national separatist activities” and links with militant groups, with the ban extended for another five years in February 2024.