Daijiworld Media Network - Srinagar
Srinagar, May 19: In a significant development in Jammu and Kashmir's counter-terror operations, two terror associates were arrested in the Shopian district, the police said on Monday. The joint security forces also recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from the suspects.
"In a notable operation against terrorism, a joint naka comprising SOG Shopian, CRPF 178 Battalion, and 34 RR arrested two suspected persons," Shopian police announced on X. "Upon their search, 04 hand grenades, 02 pistols, 43 live rounds, and other incriminating materials were recovered. An FIR has been registered."
The arrests are part of an intensified crackdown by security agencies across Jammu and Kashmir targeting terrorists, their overground workers (OGWs), and local sympathisers. The operations are being conducted jointly by the Army, J&K Police, and paramilitary forces.
Last week, six terrorists were eliminated in consecutive operations in Shopian and Pulwama districts. Among those killed was a top operational commander of the Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
The crackdown follows a brutal massacre carried out by LeT militants on April 22, where 26 civilians were killed in the Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam after being segregated based on religion.
In retaliation, Indian armed forces reportedly carried out precision-guided strikes on terrorist hubs deep inside Pakistan, including locations such as Muridke near Lahore, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
In response, Pakistan launched indiscriminate mortar shelling across the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB), resulting in the destruction of over 200 civilian homes and shops in districts like Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, and Kupwara.
The shelling forced hundreds of border residents to flee their villages, leaving behind homes, livestock, and crops. Many have not returned, as security forces continue operations to detect and defuse unexploded ordnance in affected areas.
Tensions de-escalated on May 12 after the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan reached a ceasefire agreement. The guns have remained silent since, but Indian officials have stated that the agreement hinges on Pakistan’s commitment to preventing terrorist activities from its territory.
The situation remains tense but under control as authorities continue counter-terror operations and border-area restoration efforts.