Shopian: Government forces on Saturday carried out a cordon and search operation at Ratnipora village of Shopian.
Locals from the village said that searches were carried out at Bonpora locality of the village which comprises around 50 households.
They said that siege was laid by the forces around the locality and later door-to-door searches of residential houses and other structures were carried out.
According to police sources, a team of 34 Rashtriya Rifles of army, Jammu and Kashmir police and 178th battalion of central reserve police force (CRPF) carried out the search operation after inputs about the presence of a group of militants in the area.
Locals said that the search operation was started around 2 pm on Saturday while searches are underway.
The search operation was going on when this report was being filed.
Around 20 militants have been killed in district Shopian since January this year.

Raashid Hassan