Jammu: Police in Doda district have pasted posters at several strategic locations seeking information about a Pakistani commander of the banned outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad, an official said on Saturday.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Doda Sandeep Mehta said the Pakistani terrorist, identified as Saifullah, is believed holed up in Chatroo belt of adjoining Kishtwar district with intelligence inputs suggesting that he is desperately looking for an opportunity to escape and may even try to evade detection by disguising himself, including wearing women’s clothing or a burqa.
“We have circulated his poster — both with and without a beard — for the information of the general public. It is the poster of the same individual (Saifullah) who is the main JeM commander who is alive and attempting to flee Chatroo belt,” he said, requesting people to immediately share information with police on spotting this person anywhere at any time.
The SSP said there are reports suggesting that he may attempt to escape from Chatroo disguised in women’s clothing or wearing a burqa. “If anyone notices a suspicious person, they should immediately inform the police or security forces.”
He said the police and other security agencies are fully alert to the situation and are involved in search operations continuously to tackle any terror activity.
“A search operation has been ongoing for the past four days in the Thathri area of Doda. Whenever we receive information about suspicious individuals, search operations are immediately launched from our side,” he said.
The officer also appealed to the public to ensure that the police are informed before renting out any house or shop in their area, emphasising that prior verification is essential for maintaining security and preventing misuse of rented premises.
The pasting of posters comes amid heightened security operations in the high-altitude areas across the Jammu region following recent encounters and intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists in the region.
The posters were seen at key checkpoints and public places, including Nagri, Dessa, Ganpat Bridge at the Doda entry point, and Thathri, the officials said, adding that more such notices are being displayed in other vulnerable areas to maximise public outreach.
The posters, carrying photographs and brief details of the suspects, urge the public to share any credible information with the police while assuring complete confidentiality and protection of informants, the officials said.
They noted that the poster campaign is part of intensified efforts to dismantle terror networks operating in the Chenab Valley, including Doda and neighbouring Kishtwar districts, which have witnessed a series of encounters in recent years after militants attempted to revive activities in parts of the Jammu region that had largely been cleared of terrorism.
Meanwhile, security forces busted a terrorist hideout in Chilli forest in the Gandoh area of Doda on Saturday morning, leading to the recovery of eatables and blankets, the officials said.
They said the recovery suggests recent movement in the area, prompting forces to intensify combing operations in the surrounding forests.
A massive search operation has been underway in the higher reaches of Doda, Kishtwar, Kathua, Udhampur, Rajouri and Poonch districts over the past month, resulting in nearly a dozen encounters — mostly in Kishtwar, Udhampur and Kathua — and leading to the killing of four Pakistani terrorists of JeM and an army soldier.
While two terrorists were killed in an encounter in the Ramnagar forest area of Udhampur and another in the Chatroo area of Kishtwar on February 4, one terrorist was gunned down at Parhetar in Kathua on January 23. An army paratrooper also lost his life in a gunfight in Chatroo on January 18.
Officials informed that search operations, particularly in Thathri and Gandoh areas of Doda, have been intensified after locals reported suspicious movement of persons believed to be terrorists who may have escaped recent cordon-and-search operations in Kishtwar and moved towards adjoining forest belts.
