Shopian: An anti-militancy operation is underway at Chitragam Kalan village in Shopian district, some 15 kilometers from the district headquarters.
The cordon and search operation (CASO) was launched Monday afternoon after government forces received inputs of presence of militants in the village, police sources said.
The operation was launched at about 4pm, the police sources said, though locals said that armed forces arrived in the village at 3pm.
The search operation, according to the police sources, is being carried out by 01 Rashtriya Rifles of army, 178th battalion of central reserve police force (CRPF), and Jammu and Kashmir Police.
A local militant, according to the sources, is active in the area since a year.
Locals from the village told Kashmir Reader that soon after the operation was launched, local shopkeepers were told by government forces to close their shops, which they did and then took refuge in their homes. However, movement of vehicles was not stopped in the area.
Villagers said that lights have also been installed in the streets and door-to-door searches are being carried out by the forces. They said that announcements have been made from the local mosque’s loudspeaker about the operation.
The operation, according to locals, was underway when this report was filed in the evening.

Raashid Hassan