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UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi interacting with snowfall-affected people in Doda on Friday. PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad
are also seen. — PTI
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Bhaderwah, February 22
Hours before the visit of United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson and president of All India Congress Committee (AICC) Sonia Gandhi, security forces busted a militant hideout and recovered 4 kg of RDX and large quantity of ammunitions from Bhaderwah area.
The hideout was busted at Chinnot, about one kilometre away from the Government Boys Higher Secondary School where Sonia Gandhi was scheduled to meet some locals to inquire their problems after the worst ever snowfall.
Although no arrest has been made in this connection, it is believed that four to five militants of Laskhar-e-Toiba outfits were hiding there, who managed to give a slip to security personnel.
Official sources said acting on a tip-off, a CRPF team launched a search operation in a adjoining localities of Bhaderwah on late Thursday night. During the search operation, jawans entered an isolated kuccha constructed on top of the hill.
As some fresh cooked food was lying in the house, jawans got suspicious and they started thorough search of the premises. During the search security forces recovered a cache of arms comprising four kilograms of RDX, detonators, grenades and wireless set.
Officers of the local police have maintained a guarded silence over the recovery, but it believed that militants, who managed to flee the site before arrival of the security personnel, are members of the LeT outfit, which has been active in this belt.
On May 30, 2007, LeT militants had gunned down deputy superintendent of police Shalley Singh in the heart of the town. During the last six months, the security forces have eliminated three dreaded LeT militants in this area.
Even though it is still unclear, whether the militants were planning to target Sonia, recovery of arms and ammunitions in the town before the visit of most protected person has questioned security apparatus, which were adopted by the agencies to provide security to the UPA chairperson during her visit in militancy-plagued area.
The Congress president, who has always been under the terror radar, is under the protection of Special Protection Group (SPG). Before her arrival in the town, elite security group has already cordoned the venue, where she was scheduled to meet the people.
Doda SSP Manohar Singh expressed his ignorance about any recovery of the explosive. Officers of the CRPF confirmed the recovery but they refused to comment on whether the militants were planning to attack Sonia Gandhi or not.
