Rajouri, June 4: Security forces on Friday claimed to have recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition, dropped using aerial vehicle from across the border, in a village of Thannamandi subdivision of Rajouri district.
Superintendent of Police Rajouri Sheema Nabi Qasba stated, “Initial investigations suggest that this cache of arms and ammunition may have recently been dropped in the area from across the border.” Though investigation was underway yet it seemed that the consignment was meant for onward transportation to the Kashmir valley, she added.
The consignment was recovered along with packaging material and ropes, she said.
Addressing a press conference in Thannamandi army camp of Rashtriya Rifles, Qasba informed that the information was received from reliable sources about some suspicious movement in upper reaches of Azmatabad area of Thannamandi.
“Acting upon this information, a joint search operation was launched by 48 RR of the Indian army and Jammu and Kashmir Police in the general areas of Manyal, Danna and Kopra villages of Thannamandi,” SP Rajouri said.
She said during the search operation, the joint party unearthed a hideout in general area Manyal from where a dumped stock of arms and ammunition was recovered.
The recovered material included four pistols with eight magazines and 105 rounds, one AK with two magazines and 54 rounds.
“The arms and ammunition have been recovered along with the packaging material and tying ropes,” she informed.
In this connection, an FIR No 114/2021 under Sections 18/20 Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 121/120B IPC, 7/27 Arms Act was registered at Police Station Thannamandi and investigation was initiated, she said
Meanwhile official sources told Greater Kashmir that security alert was issued after the recovery of these arms and ammunition from the area during operation as recovery of packaging material and tying ropes authenticated that the consignment was dropped using an aerial vehicle.
They further said, “The area, where the recovery of arms and ammunition has been made, is around 7 to 9 kilometres in terms of aerial distance from the Line of Control and aerial dropping of consignment in such a far off area has created ripples among security agencies.”
They further said that around 11 months ago similar kind of recovery of aerially dropped arms and ammunition was made in Gurdan Bala area of Rajouri in which three militants were also arrested.