Operation Sheruwali enters day 8 as forces intensify hunt for terrorists

Srinagar: The operation to track down infiltrators in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district entered its eighth day on Saturday, with security forces deploying helicopters, drones and sniffer dogs to locate the suspects.

Operation Sheruwali was launched on May 23 after joint teams of the Army, paramilitary forces and police established contact with a group of foreign infiltrators believed to be two to three in number.

Earlier, Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Pratik Sharma visited the Gambhir Mughlan area of Rajouri to review operations and assess the security situation on the ground.


The Army's White Knight Corps said the commander interacted with troops deployed in the area and commended their resolve, morale and commitment while operating in challenging terrain.

"Emphasising mission focus and operational excellence, the Army Commander exhorted all teams to pursue the objective with professional acumen, precision and a shared sense of purpose," the Corps said in a statement.

Security forces have used heavy firepower to target suspected militant hideouts as the infiltrators continued to shift positions across the rugged terrain, valleys and gorges of the Manjakote area.

"It is a freshly infiltrated group of two to three people who have been engaged immediately after crossing over. We have also busted one of their hideouts," an Army official said.

Security personnel have been tracking the suspects by following bloodstains believed to have been left behind by the fleeing infiltrators after the initial exchange of fire.