Srinagar, May 19 (IANS) Two terror associates were arrested in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district, said police on Monday, adding that arms and ammunition were recovered from them.

Police in Shopian district said on X, “In a notable operation against terrorism a joint naka comprising SOG Shopian,CRPF 178 BN & 34 RR two suspected persons arrested. Upon their search 04 hand grenades, 02 pistols, 43 live rounds & other incriminating materials recovered & accordingly an FIR registered.”

Joint forces have started aggressive operations against terrorists, their overground workers (OGWs) and their sympathisers across the union territory.

These operations are jointly carried out by the army, police and the security forces.

Last week, six terrorists were killed in two back-to-back operations in Shopian and Pulwama districts.

The slain terrorists included the operational commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

The LeT terrorists on April 22 killed 26 civilians, including a local, in Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam after segregating them on the basis of religion.

This was followed by precision-guided targeted strikes at terrorists’ headquarters by the Indian armed forces deep inside Pakistan, including Muridke near Lahore, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

Pakistan reacted by indiscriminate mortar shelling on the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir.

Over 200 houses and shops were destroyed in Pakistan’s mortar shelling on civilian facilities in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla and Kupwara districts.

Hundreds of border residents were forced to abandon their homes, livestock and agricultural fields.

These civilians are yet to fully return to their villages as the security forces are still defusing unexploded mortar shells in the border villages.

On May 12, the DGMOs of the two countries agreed to a ceasefire after which guns on both sides fell silent.

The ceasefire is holding well, although India has made it clear that the understanding will last only as long as Pakistan does not allow terrorist activity against India from its soil.

–IANS

sq/dpb