In a significant blow to cross-border militant networks, security forces have uncovered a large cache of sophisticated weaponry from a terror hideout near the Line of Control (LoC) in Handwara, preventing what officials believe could have been a major attack.
Security forces on Thursday foiled a potential terror plot after recovering a substantial quantity of high-grade weapons from a concealed hideout in the dense Neeriyan Forest area of the Nowgam sector in Handwara, Kupwara district.
The recovery was made during a joint operation launched by the Handwara Police and the Indian Army’s Nowgam Brigade following precise intelligence inputs.
During the extensive search in the forward villages close to the LoC, the forces located a carefully camouflaged natural cave used by terrorists. The hideout was subsequently destroyed.
The seized cache includes two US-origin M-series assault rifles (M4 carbines) with four magazines, two Chinese-made pistols with three magazines, two hand grenades and a quantity of live ammunition.
Officials described the presence of M4 carbines—typically associated with special forces—as particularly significant, suggesting continued attempts by Pakistan-based terror outfits to push advanced weaponry into Jammu and Kashmir.
An FIR under relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act has been registered at Police Station Qalamabad. Investigators are now working to identify the intended targets and the terror module linked to the cache.
Security forces have stepped up their operations along the LoC in Kupwara and Handwara in recent weeks amid intelligence alerts about renewed infiltration attempts ahead of the winter closure of mountain passes.
