Army thwarts militants' attempts to sabotage polls

Ahead of first phase of polls, Indian army recovered huge cache of arms and ammunitions of militants which was to be used for sabotaging the assembly elections in Kashmir valley.

A defence spokesman at Srinagar said the army intercepted and recovered huge quantity of weapons and ammunition in two different operations at the Line of Control (LoC) and hinterland.

"This is being seen as major success towards ensuring conduct of peaceful elections in Valley," he said.

In the first operation launched, alert troops deployed along the line of control recovered a huge haul of weapons including 18 AK-47 rifles and 5 pistols and preventing them from landing into the hands of terrorists operating in Kashmir.

"A potential threat to disruption of elected related activities has thus been prevented," the spokesman said.

In the second operation launched jointly by army and special operation group (SOG) of police, large quantity of weapons, ammunition and other war like stores including one Sniper rifle, two Pistol, two UBGL, 23 UBGL, 23 UBGL Grenade, 18 Hand Grenade, six RPG, two disposable rocket launchers , four Radio set, two Mortar bombs, two combat dress with assorted ammunition and belted ammunition were recovered

"The hideout seems to have been used by transient terrorists as a safe hiding place and the destruction of same will further enhance the safe environs on fringe areas of Baramulla town. It is a major setback to terrorist operating around Baramulla", he said.

These operations, the defence spokesman said, when seen in conjunction with the arrest of the militant and grenade throwing incident in last 48 hours indicates the desperate attempts by terrorists to disrupt the so far peaceful election related activities and success of security forces in thwarting such ill designs.

General officer commanding 15 corps Lt Gen Subrata Saha commended the alert troops on LoC and hinterland for maintaining a robust counter infiltration and counter terrorist grid.