Bandipora, Jul 03: Hours after a group of militants appeared in a mosque in Hajin town of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district past night, a massive cordon and search operation was launched by government forces in the wee hours today to track them down.
According to sources, a group of militants on Monday night appeared in a mosque located in Khosa Mohalla, Hajin and asked the people to be vigilant, as according to them, army and police were intending to arrest the youth in the said area.
However, police officials categorically rebutted such reports and said it is all prank.
“We will indentify such persons who have spread such rumors,” they said.
Eyewitnesses told ‘Kashmir Images’ that the militants even challenged the government forces to arrest them (militants) and stop harassing the unarmed youth.
Speaking to Kashmir Images, a resident of Hajin, said, since 5 am on Tuesday, Army and special operation group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police along with CRPF laid a massive cordon to find the militants in Khosa Mohalla, Wahab Khar Mohalla, Parrey Mohalla, Bonkhan Mohalla, Syed Abad, Tawheed Abad and other parts.
Due to search operations in the area, educational institutions remained closed today.
“Yes, in view of ongoing search operation, all educational institutions remained closed. We did not issue any order to close down the institutions, however outside Hajin town all educational institutions are functioning normally,” Zonal Educational Officer (ZEO) Hajin, Nisar Ahmad Lone told ‘Kashmir Images’.
The mobile Internet services were also snapped shortly after cordon and search operation was launched in the area, official said, adding that the decision to snap Internet services was taken as a precautionary measure “to prevent mischievous elements from creating law and order problem”.
Speaking to ‘Kashmir Images’, Senior Superintend of Police (SSP) Bandipora Zulfikar Azad said, “It is a routine search operation. Today’s operation came in view of the reported movement of militants in the area.”
