Operation Called off at Gulab Bagh, Sgr after 14 Hrs

Nothing found, had inputs about presence of militants, say officials; House partially damaged

SRINAGAR,, APRIL 07 :

Security Forces called off the 14-hour long operation at Gulab Bagh area on Srinagar outskirts after no contact with the militants was established.

Officials told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that joint teams of army, SoG police and Quick Reaction Team (QRT) of CRPF laid a siege at Shah-e-Hamdan Colony, Gulab Bagh at 10 pm on Tuesday. “There were inputs about the militant presence in the area. Lights were installed while the operation was put on halt due to darkness. In the morning, many warning shots were fired. Teargas shells were also lobbed at the suspected house, however, there was no retaliation and no contact with the militants was established,” officials said.

On Tuesday evening, a senior security official had told KNO that one to two militants are believed to be trapped in a residential house. After searching the house, nothing was found, an official said.

Witnesses said that the house that belonged to a person who is working in Saudi Arabi, suffered partial damage. “Window panes of the house were broken while the front wall witnessed minor damage,” they said.

A security official said that after thorough search of the house, the operation was later called off at around 11 am—(KNO)