By Arun Sharma
The Jammu and Kashmir Police detained six members of a family, including four women, for allegedly helping the militants involved in last week’s Kathua encounter in which four policemen were killed.
Sources said the six detained were family members of an overground worker who is already in jail for allegedly providing logistical support for militants who attacked an Army convoy in Kathua’s Badnota village last year, killing five soldiers.
Since March 23, security forces have been on the lookout for the militants who are believed to have crossed the International Border into Saniyal village in Hiranagar sector. The family is accused of helping them flee to the forests near Jakhole village.
Apart from the six of this family, police had earlier picked up six others for questioning in connection with their search for the militants.
On March 23, soon after crossing the border, the militants fled Saniyal after a brief exchange of fire with security forces.
Four days later, a joint team of police and other security forces re-established contact with the militants in the forests near Jakhole village, and in the course of a day-long operation, gunned down two militants while some others are believed to have escaped into the thick forests.
Four policemen were killed in the encounter.
This story was originally published in indianexpress.com. Read the full story here.
