Sopore, October 10: A joint team of Sopore Police, 22 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and 179 CRPF recovered a major cache of arms, ammunition, grenades and explosive material during a cordon and search operation in the Mukaam Cherhar forest area of north Kashmir’s Sopore on Saturday, officials said.
The operation was launched following specific intelligence inputs generated by Sopore Police in the forest area falling under the jurisdiction of Police Station Bomai.
During the search, a blue barrel and a bag were found concealed beneath a large boulder. A Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) was immediately called to the spot to examine and safely handle the suspected explosive material.
The recovered cache included two assault rifles—one AK-47 and one AK-76—along with seven magazines and ammunition, four pistols with four magazines and ammunition, and one Multi Grenade Launcher (MGL) with five rounds.
The security forces also recovered 11 hand grenades, three Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) fitted with remote controls, eight detonators, two timers and other material, including a Y-SMS set, prima cords, wires, battery cells, IED-related components and miscellaneous accessories.
The recovered items were taken into possession following due legal procedures and with necessary safety precautions.
In this connection, FIR No. 66/2026 has been registered at Police Station Bomai under Sections 13, 18, 20 and 23 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Sections 7/25 of the Arms Act and Section 5 of the Explosive Substances Act.
Further investigation is underway to establish the source and intended use of the recovered material, identify those responsible for concealing it and ascertain any possible terrorist links.
The recovery marks a significant development in the ongoing counter-terrorism efforts in the Sopore area. Investigators are examining all possible leads to determine the circumstances surrounding the concealment of the cache and identify those involved.
