Ahead of R-day, huge arms haul in JK

Ahead of the Republic Day, security forces seized a huge cache of arms and explosives, including over 15-kg RDX and 150 grenades, in two separate operations, scuttling militants' plan to disrupt the national event in the state.

The seizures, which included two Pak-made Anti-Personnel Mines and 13 mortar bombs, were effected in Baramulla district in Kashmir valley and Rajouri in Jammu region, police said.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of police, army and CRPF personnel raided Check-e-Mamoosa area in Baramulla district in the wee hours and recovered a large quantity of arms and explosives from a stream.

The haul included over 10-kg of lethal RDX, 15O grenades and two Anti-Personnel Mines, SSP (Baramulla) Shakeel Ahmad Beigh told PTI.

The arms and explosives, smuggled from across the border, were concealed in two water tanks which were pulled out from the bed of the stream, he said.

"The weapons were meant for distribution among militants to create disturbances in the run-up to the Republic Day," Beigh said.

Other recoveries included a Universal Machine Gun with over 700 live cartridges, 57 hand grenades, 42 Under Barrel grenades and four wireless sets with 26 additional batteries.

Six explosive sticks, 330 electronic detonators and two boxes filled with 1500 live rounds of AK series rifles were also recovered from the water tanks, the SSP said.

He said the operation lasted nearly four hours, but no one was arrested.