Abrogation of Article 370 ended terrorism, stone pelting in J-K: Ghulam Nabi Azad

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], May 7 (ANI): Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Democratic Progressive Azad Party president Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday said abrogation of Article 370 has ended terrorism and stone pelting from the erstwhile State.

"There are many things that the centre should not have done here like removing Article 370, it was not in the interest of the people here but one thing is for sure, it has ended terrorism and stone pelting. The incidents that happened in Rajouri and Poonch are a matter of concern. Terrorism is not in anyone's interest," Azad told reporters here.

Meanwhile, a massive search operation which began on Friday to hunt down terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri continued on Sunday.

"Search operation to track down terrorists underway in the Kandi area of Rajouri," officials said.

A total of five soldiers lost their lives in the anti-terror operation in the Kandi area of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri on May 5.

The five soldiers were killed during the anti-terror 'Operation Trinetra' of the Indian Army with Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

On Saturday, one terrorist was neutralised and one was injured in a fresh exchange of fire in Kandi, Rajouri district.

"One terrorist was neutralised and one likely injured" in a fresh exchange of fire in Kandi in the early hours of Saturday," Army officials said.

Moreover, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on May 6 reached Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district to review the security situation amid the ongoing encounter between security forces and terrorists in the Kandi forest area. (ANI)