Two terror associates detained under PSA in Udhampur’s Basantgarh

Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday detained two women overground workers (OGW) under the stringent public safety act.
The two, Maryama Begum of Loudhara village and Arshad Begum of Rai Chak village (both in Basantgarh), had been providing logistics and acted as guides to Pakistan-based terrorists in Basantgarh area of Udhampur district, said officials.
“The two were assessed to be posing a significant threat to the safety and security of the state,” a police statement read. adding, “The terror associates were found to be involved in providing logistics support to terrorist groups and worked as guide and facilitator for terrorist organisations. Their continuous actions posed a serious risk to public safety and tranquility.”
Basantgarh, notably, has become a hotbed of terrorism over the last couple of years with Pakistan-based terrorists conducting shoot-and-scoot attacks on security forces.
On August 19, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) inspector Kuldeep Singh from Haryana’s Jind was killed when a group of terrorists ambushed a patrol in the upper reaches of Cheel area, Dudu. The terrorists had fired around 40 rounds of fire from their automatic assault rifles on the CRPF patrol led by Singh.
After the attack terrorists had managed to escape from the spot. This year, 16 security personnel have been killed so far in various terror attacks in Jammu region.
Captain Deepak Singh of 48 RR had on August 14 been killed in Shivgarh Dhar area of Assar in Doda.
On November 29, Udhampur police had also detained and lodged in jail a hardcore terror associate under the public safety act . He was identified as Abdul Sattar, son of late Jamal Din of Ponara Soni in Basantgarh area. He was allegedly involved in multiple terror cases and was working as an active guide and facilitator for terrorist organisations till his arrest, said a senior police officer.
At least three terrorists had also been gunned down on September 11 after an encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists on Basantgarh-Kathua border.
Earlier on May 11, police arrested a man, who helped terrorists involved in the killing of a village defence guard Mohammad Sharief in Lower Ponar village of Basantgarh in Udhampur district on April 28.
Village defence guard Mohammad Sharief, 48, had also been killed in a face-off with terrorists at Chochru Gala heights in Basantgarh on April 28.