Huge cache of arms seized near Indo-Pak border in Poonch

KALAI POONCH/JAMMU: A major tragedy was averted a day before the commencement of Buddha Amarnath pilgrimage when security forces seized a huge cache of arms and explosives from hideout at village Kenu in Mandi tehsil of border district Poonch on Monday.

Acting on a tip off, a joint search operation was launched by personnel of the 27 RR, 156 Territorial Army (TA) and local police on village Kenu.

The raid on the hideout led to the recovery of five kilograms of RDX, four A K magazines, 200 A K bullets, one Chinese pistol, one magazine, its four bullets, five electronic detonators, one satellite phone, one mobile phone, one RPG booster, one RPG round, four remote switch 1 MM, three remote switch 3 MM and a bag.

Security forces had earlier recovered arms and ammunition in the Poonch area on May 31, June 2, June 9, June 30 and July 9, but failed to nab any militants.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed since insurgency broke out in Kashmir in 1989.

But officials say that overall, violence has declined in Kashmir since India and Pakistan began a slow-moving peace process in 2004.

New Delhi gave a pause to this dialogue after the last year's terror attacks on Mumbai that claimed over 160 lives.