Srinagar, Dec 23 (IANS) Security forces said on Tuesday that arms and ammunition were recovered during a cordon and search operation (CASO) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district.

Officials said that the security forces recovered arms and ammunition in the Rajpora forest area of the Handwara sub-division.

“During the search, a suspicious location was identified, leading to the recovery of ammunition and an explosive device concealed in the forest area. The seized items included 90 rounds of INSAS rifle ammunition, 90 rounds of AK-47 ammunition and one Chinese hand grenade,” officials said.

It must be mentioned that on Monday, joint forces arrested a terrorist associate during a CASO in the Wuyan Khrew area of Awantipora, recovering a pistol and live ammunition from his possession.

The joint operation was conducted by the Awantipora Police along with personnel from the 50 Rashtriya Rifles of the Army and 185 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

The arrested individual was identified as Javid Ahmad Hajam, son of Abdul Rashid Hajam, a resident of Gulab Bagh Tral. During the search, security personnel recovered one pistol and five live rounds from him.

According to officials, preliminary investigation suggests that the accused was actively involved in facilitating logistical support and transportation of arms and ammunition for terrorists operating in the Pampore, Tral and Awantipora areas of the police district.

J&K Police and the security forces are carrying out aggressive operations against terrorists, their overground workers (OGWs) and sympathisers.

These coordinated operations are aimed at dismantling the complete support system of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir rather than just focusing on the gun-wielding terrorists.

Police, after obtaining court orders, have been attaching properties of terrorists, OGWs, their sympathisers and drug smugglers in addition to booking the involved persons under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 (UAPA). The attached properties are those created from the funds generated through terrorism and other criminal activities.

–IANS

sq/dpb