Jammu, Mar 26: A massive multi-tier combing operation to track down a group of infiltrating militants continued for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday in forested areas of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district.

A local woman informed the police on Tuesday that two men in army uniform asked her for water while they were having food in the Ding Amb belt of the district, prompting the area to be cordoned off.”They took water and headed towards the nearby forest area,” Darshana Devi said.Security has been intensified along the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway in the Samba-Kathua section, with increased vigilance on border roads, officials said.

The search operation is concurrently underway in multiple areas from Sanyal to Ding Amb and beyond, covering several kilometers.The operation involving the army, NSG, BSF, police, Special Operation Group, and CRPF armed with technical and surveillance equipment, is supported by helicopter, UAVs, drones, bulletproof vehicles, and sniffer dogs.

Security agencies have questioned several persons in various areas and picked up three suspects for questioning, they said.During the search operation on Tuesday, security forces recovered two grenades.(Agencies)