Security forces launch joint cordon-and-search operations along LoC after drone sightings and armed movement reports

File photo: Army personnel continue to remain vigilant and guard the borders of the country across the LoC

JAMMU: Security forces have launched joint cordon-and-search operations along the LoC and after suspected Pakistan drones hovered in Poonch and Rajouri districts since Friday and reports emerged about movement of armed people in forested belts of Udhampur-Kathua and Rajouri, official sources said. One drone was spotted hovering over forward areas along the LoC in Poonch, prompting the searches early Saturday, the sources said. “The Pakistani drone was observed in Behrooti village in Mendhar sector late Friday evening. It moved towards Mangalnar-Dabrote, near the border, before returning to Pakistan,” a security source said.

In Rajouri, Pakistani drones were spotted in a border area of Rumlidhara in Nowshera sector, leading to intensive searches. The operations are still continuing, aimed at ensuring that no weapons, narcotics or other contraband were air-dropped by the drones, the sources said. Separately, police, Army and paramilitary forces, have been combing vast forested patches in Udhampur, Kathua and Rajouri following information about suspicious movements of people, the sources said. The operations started late Friday evening in Khuban, Marta, Jopher, and adjoining areas of Udhampur-Kathua forests and were still underway. Two Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists were neutralised in these jungles in Feb this year. The duo had been holed up in a cave in Jopher area. In Rajouri, security forces have launched searches after locals in frontier villages such as Mogla and Narla reported movements of two armed people.