Shopian: Two days after killing of top Jaish e Muhammad commander Sajad Afghani at his native village Rawalpora, government forces on Wednesday afternoon again launched a cordon and search operation at Pahelnad locality of Rawalpora village.
Locals told Kashmir Reader that a joint team of government forces arrived in the village and laid a siege around the locality. They said that soon after cordoning the area, forces started door to door searches of residential houses and other structures.
Police sources said that this operation was launched by 34 Rashtriya Rifles of army, Jammu and Kashmir police and 14th battalion of central reserve police force after intelligence inputs about the presence of militants in the village.
Two days ago Sajad Afgani (Wilayat Ahmad) was killed meters away from his home after an operation that spanned 72 hours. Six residential houses and two cowsheds were reduced to rubble during the firefight.
Rawalpora is situated some five kilometers away from district headquarter of Shopian and two kilometers away from the nearest military establishment.
Locals told Kashmir Reader that many of the youths who were out for work preferred not to go home due to the ongoing cordon and search operation.
The search operation was still going on when this report was filed.

Reader correspondent