SRINAGAR — Security forces operating in Jammu and Kashmir have uncovered a new tactical shift by terror outfits, who are now reportedly constructing elaborately designed underground bunkers deep within the region’s dense forests and elevated ridges. This development came to light during a recent counter-terrorism operation in the higher reaches of the Kulgam district, where security forces discovered a subterranean hideout following a fierce encounter.
According to officials, this new strategy is a direct response to the eroding local support for militants, which has made it increasingly difficult for them to find shelter in local houses. As a result, terror groups have shifted their focus to building secret trenches and bunkers in forested areas, providing them with a new form of sanctuary and a base for operations.
During the recent Kulgam operation, which led to the neutralisation of two terrorists, security forces found a well-equipped secret trench. The bunker contained a cache of weapons and ammunition, as well as essential supplies like rations, miniature gas stoves, and pressure cookers, indicating its use as a long-term hideout.
Senior security officers, speaking anonymously, stated that this trend of constructing forest bunkers is becoming widespread in districts like Kulgam and Shopian, as well as the Pir Panjal region of Jammu, where the thick forests offer perfect camouflage. This poses a new and significant challenge for the Army and other security forces, requiring them to adapt their counter-insurgency tactics.
While security forces have encountered underground hideouts in residential areas in the past, this shift to constructing sophisticated subterranean sanctuaries in the wilderness marks a new phase in the ongoing conflict, underscoring the militants’ desperation to evade detection.
