Daijiworld Media Network - Doda

Doda, Dec 8: In a major breakthrough, the Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police recovered arms and ammunition during a coordinated search operation in the Bhalara Forest area under Thathri Police Station limits on Sunday, officials said.

The operation was carried out on the basis of specific intelligence inputs and was supervised by SSP Doda Sandeep Mehta. During the search, the SOG team recovered one SLR rifle, two magazines and 22 live rounds from the dense forest belt.

Police said the recovery marks a significant enhancement of the security grid in the region, preventing the possible use of these weapons by anti-social or anti-national elements. The operation, they added, underscores the J&K Police’s continued commitment to maintaining peace, stability and public safety in Doda district.

An investigation has been launched to trace the origin of the recovered weapon and identify the individuals or networks involved in concealing it.

Last month, police in Shopian carried out extensive raids across the district, targeting individuals and premises linked to the banned organisation Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), which is proscribed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. JeI-J&K has been banned multiple times, most recently in 2019, with the restriction extended for another five years in February 2024 due to alleged separatist activities and links with militant outfits.

The organisation traces its roots back to 1941, when it was founded in British India by Islamic scholar Syed Abul A’la Maududi, later splitting into separate entities in India and Pakistan after Partition.