Army troops open fire after suspicious movement near LoC in Rajouri

Jammu: Army troops opened fire after noticing suspicious movement in a forward area near the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district, while security forces conducted searches at more than a dozen places in Poonch, Samba, and Kathua districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, officials said.

The suspicious movement of three to four people under the cover of thick foliage was detected by alert soldiers in the Chingus area of Kiri sector in Rajouri in the morning, they said.

The troops fired over two dozen rounds and simultaneously launched a search operation, and also deployed drones. However, there was no trace of the suspected people, officials said.

They said the special operations group of local police, CRPF and Rashtriya Rifles also launched search operations in different areas of Surankote and Mendhar in Poonch district at around 6 am following information about suspicious movement.

The operation was conducted in Sari, Ustan, Pathankhor, Lohar Mohalla, Chandimarh, Phagal, Hari top and Kaagwali in Surankote, Limba, and Ucchad and Kallar-Gursai in Mendhar, but no one was arrested, officials said.

They said police assisted by paramilitary forces also carried out searches at Bein Nullah, Charu Muthi and Chak Dhulma and Tarnah and Chakra villages near the International Border in Kathua district.

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police, Udhampur, Amod Nagpure, on Tuesday, chaired a comprehensive briefing session for the police officers designated for the annual Amarnath Yatra scheduled to commence in Kashmir valley from July 3.

Key aspects discussed during the session included enhanced security measures along vulnerable points, including the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, effective traffic regulation and contingency plans for emergencies, a police spokesperson said.

He said the officers were also instructed to provide timely assistance to pilgrims and maintain close coordination with disaster management teams.

The SSP emphasised community engagement, real-time monitoring, and prompt reporting of any suspicious activity to ensure a safe pilgrimage experience.