Massive search operation underway at J&K's Shopian district

About 1000 security personnel were engaged in the operation

Security forces on Wednesday started another massive cordon and search operation in a Jammu and Kashmir village in Shopian district as a stone pelting mob tried to disrupt the operation.

The search operations have been launched in two villages - Heff and Shirmal, an army official said. A large number of security forces were engaged in the operation, which began in the early hours of the morning. However, the operation was hampered by local residents who started pelting stones at security forces.

To combat this, tear gas shells were used to break the protesting mob. So far, no casualties have been reported in the clash, the official said, adding that the operation is still in progress. 

This was the second such massive search operation in south Kashmir this month, which has been undertaken to flush out militants.

On May 4, over 3,000 security men had carried out a day-long operation in 20 villages of Kulgam district.The militants attacked an army patrol while retreating from the operations that day, which lead to the death of a cab driver and several injured personnel.

Operations in South Kashmir have intensified, in the wake of videos of large groups of terrorists — in some cases as many as 30 — surfacing on social media, despite a ban imposed by authorities on 22 such sites and applications.

Security agencies believe that these videos were shot in south Kashmir area, especially Shopian district.