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Major infiltration bid foiled in Poonch; 3 terrorists held
Jammu-based defence spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand said, “During the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday around 1.30 am, a group of three to four terrorists were intercepted on the LoC in Poonch sector by a joint team of army and police. They were trying to cross the fence while taking advantage of bad weather and heavy rains”. Major infiltration bid foiled in Poonch
With the arrest of three terrorists and seizure of arms and ammunition that included a powerful 10 kg improvised explosive device (IED), the Army on Wednesday foiled a major infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district, said officials.
Jammu-based defence spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand said, “During the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday around 1.30 am, a group of three to four terrorists were intercepted on the LoC in Poonch sector by a joint team of army and police. They were trying to cross the fence while taking advantage of bad weather and heavy rains”.
“After tracking their movement, a well sited Army ambush challenged the terrorists, who opened fire from their AK assault rifles and in the retaliatory fire some terrorists were hit. The area was cordoned, and searches were launched during which blood trails have been found. Consequently, three terrorists were apprehended with some weapons, war-like stores, including a powerful 10-kg IED,” said Col Anand.
However, a soldier was injured in the exchange of fire. He was evacuated to the hospital.
The arrested terrorists were identified as Mohammad Farooq, 26, Mohammad Riaz, 23, and Mohammad Zubair, 22, all residents of Karmara.
The exchange of fire took place at forward Karmara village in Gulpur sector amid inclement weather.
The recoveries from the terrorists included and AK-56 assault rifle with 10 rounds in the magazine (rest of the ammunition was exhausted by the terrorist, who was subsequently injured in the exchange of fire), two pistols with two magazines and 70 rounds, an IED weighing 10 kg, six Chinese grenades and 20 packets of narcotics.
“During preliminary questioning, the injured terrorist identified as Mohammad Farooq divulged to his interrogators that the IED had to be planted on an army convoy in Gulpur area of Poonch,” said a senior Army official.
“The IED was planted inside a pressure cooker. It was later neutralised safely by the experts,” he added.
Narcotics included 20 packets of heroin. It may be stated here that the Army lost 10 of its soldiers within a fortnight on April 20 and May 5 in two ambushes by the terrorists in Tota Gali in Poonch and Kandhi forests in Rajouri respectively.
On January 1 and 2, at least seven Hindus that included a four-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl were killed by armed terrorists in Rajouri’s Dhangri village.
In all the three attacks, the terrorists remain elusive. The jungles in Bhata Dhurian, Nar Khas, Chamrer and Kandi in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch with natural caves have become a safe haven for terrorists.
