New Delhi: Gas cylinders, wheat flour, dry fruits, pressure cookers, blankets, power banks, shoes, screwdrivers, washing powder, small solar panel, hand gloves… No, this is not a list of supplies for an extended camping trip. This is what security forces found in an underground hideout deep in the Sagrawat forest in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district. The camp belonged to terrorists hiding in Jammu.
The discovery was made on August 20 during a cordon and search operation by a joint team of police, Army, and CRPF. Security forces also found six empty AK rifle magazines, a pistol magazine with 13 bullets, an INSAS rifle magazine with 19 rounds, and a communication set. A similar cave-type hideout was also found in the Balotha area of Basantgarh in Udhampur district.
Discovery’s significance
The nature of the supplies and the extent of preparation is unlike anything that has ever been found in Kashmir. According to jungle warfare specialist Brigadier Neelesh Bhanot, this was a camp set up by professionals. The cooking stoves help avoid smoke. Four gas cylinders could last over a month. These people are not here to fight and run away. They plan to kill and be killed.
The rations couldn’t have been lugged from across the border. This means the terrorists are being helped by locals. These supplies may give us a clue to the identity of the over-ground workers helping the terrorists.
Jammu: The new terror target
Terror attacks in Kashmir have decreased over the years, so the number of security personnel has been reduced. With Eastern Ladakh heating up, armed forces were moved there. Locked out of the Kashmir Valley and frustrated by the security grid, terrorists made the Jammu region their new target.
Experts say this region is vulnerable due to its proximity to the Line of Control. It is easier to infiltrate here than Kashmir, where the terrain is more challenging and the security forces greater in strength. Jammu has witnessed 33 militant attacks since 2021. In 2024 alone, the region saw eight attacks, in which 11 soldiers were killed and 18 wounded.
Dealing with terror in Jammu
The Indian Armed Forces, the Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the Central Armed Police Forces have launched Operation All Out in 10 districts of the Jammu region. At least 500 Para Special Forces commandos and 3,000 extra troops are being deployed. Two BSF battalions, totalling more than 2,000 personnel, have been moved from Odisha. Village Defence Committees have been reinvigorated. Intelligence agencies have also strengthened their operations. The focus is on dismantling the terrorist support infrastructure, including over-ground workers who help the militants.