Amid the prevailing tension on the International Border in Hiranagar, an input about the movement of “three armed men” in a border village of Hiranagar sector today kept security agencies — Army, CRPF and Kathua police — on their toes.
Immediately after the input, the Army and the police launched a massive search operation in the Maheshechak area of Hiranagar to trace the suspected militants, whom a man had seen in a field.
Garrjeet Singh of Maheshechak village said he had seen three armed men suspected to be militants in a field — two of them sleeping and the third one busy on a phone. He told other villagers about this, who informed the police.
After getting the information, the police and the Army swung into action and launched a search operation in Maheshechak and its adjoining areas.
Maheshechak area leads to the “Chor Gali” point on the border which is a known infiltration route for Pakistani militants into the Indian Territory.
“The Army, CRPF and Special Operations Group joined the Hiranagar police in the operation but we found nothing,” said an official, adding, “The search was on till reports last came in.”
In September 2013, three Pakistani militants, after crossing Shaap Nullah, had come to Haria Chak from where they had hijacked a load carrier.
They had carried out two attacks — on the Hiranagar police station and then on the camp of 16 Cavalry of the Army — killing 10 people.