GULMARG, Jammu and Kashmir, Oct. 25 — Security forces launched a large-scale search operation Friday along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Gulmarg sector, deploying drones and helicopters in a bid to locate and neutralize the terrorists behind a fatal attack that claimed five lives, including two soldiers. The extensive operation comes in the wake of Thursday’s ambush on an Army vehicle near Bota Pathri, just six kilometers from the popular tourist destination of Gulmarg in Baramulla district.
The combing operation initially centered around the attack site and later expanded toward interior areas. Officials reported that both human and technical intelligence inputs are being utilized to aid the search. “We are using all available resources, including aerial surveillance, to ensure that the terrorists are traced and neutralized swiftly,” an Army official confirmed. Senior police and Army officers are directly overseeing the operation, with security measures intensified around the area.
As a precaution, authorities temporarily suspended the Gondola ropeway service in Gulmarg during the morning, although the service resumed later after safety assessments. Tourist movement around the renowned ski resort continued largely uninterrupted, according to officials.
The attack on Thursday left two Army personnel and two porters dead, with one additional soldier and a porter injured. The terrorists reportedly opened fire on an Army vehicle headed toward the Nagin post in the Affarwat range. This mountainous area, long dominated by the Army, had recently reopened to tourists after winter closures.
“There had been intelligence indicating that a terrorist group infiltrated the region earlier this summer and may have taken shelter in the higher reaches of the Affarwat range,” said a security source. The Affarwat range is also home to the prestigious High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS), where soldiers receive specialized training for deployment in extreme conditions like those at the Siachen Glacier.
