Overnight militants search operation in Srinagar called off

Security forces on Wednesday called off an overnight search operation on the outskirts of Srinagar city as no militant was reportedly found in the area.

The operation was launched in the Gulab Bagh-Zakura area on the city outskirts late Tuesday night following “specific inputs” about the presence of militants in the area even as additional security forces were rushed to further seal all entry and exit points.

Reportedly two militants were believed to be trapped in the area. Quoting unnamed sources, a local news gathering agency KDC reported that security forces, this morning, fired some warning shots towards the building in which they were suspecting the presence of militants.

However, there was no response from inside the house, after which the operation was called off this afternoon as no militants were found in the area, it added.

After years of a relative calm spell, militancy in Srinagar is on the rise again. Even as militants fired gunshots or lobbed grenades at some places, there was no major militant strike for over 18 months in Srinagar till May 2020. However, since then over 10 encounters between militants and security forces have been reported in Srinagar in which 20 ultras were killed.

The militants also carried several attacks on security forces, police and civilians in the city in the last year. In March, J&K Police had released a list of eight most wanted militants operating in Srinagar city and its outskirts. However, since then no encounter has taken place in the city or its outskirts.