Defence expert asks govt. to take firm steps to eliminate terrorists

Stating that there were increasing intelligence inputs of activities in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district post the Uri terror strike, defence expert Major General (Retd.) P.K. Sehgal on Wednesday said that the Government of India must take apt steps to eliminate and neutralise such elements.

Major General (Retd.) Sehgal, who was commenting on the raid conducted by the security forces last night in Baramulla district, said that it was based on intelligence inputs and carried out to find out the truth.

"Ever since the Uri attack, there were increasing intelligence inputs of activities in Baramulla district. There were intelligence inputs that pro-Pakistan elements as well as terrorists have hidden in those places and the locals are beginning to give them some sort of a support either voluntarily or being forced to do so," Major General (Retd.) Sehgal said.

"So, to find out the truth behind it, last night the army, the security forces, the paramilitary forces, the Jammu and Kashmir Police carried out a combined raid in 12 villages, recovered lots of arms and ammunitions and arrested 44 people who apparently had linkages with terrorists or had terrorists oriented design. Also quite a few hideouts were busted and a lot of other inputs were made available to us which will help the security forces to clean up that area," he added.

In a major military operation, the security forces successfully bust the terrorist hideouts in Baramulla district last night. A large number of suspected hideouts were also located during the crackdown.

After 700-odd houses were searched, the security agencies seized petrol bombs, Chinese and Pakistani flags, LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) letter pads, illegal mobile phones and other seditious materials.

The operation was a crackdown conducted jointly by the Border Security Force (BSF), CRPF, the army and the Jammu Kashmir Police.

The cross border violations between India and Pakistan escalated after the Uri attack in which 19 Indian soldiers lost their lives.

Pakistan violated ceasefire 25 times in 10 days other than the militant attack that also targeted civilians. India also tried to diplomatically isolate Pakistan globally following the Uri attack.