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Patrolling up in Jammu after Poonch terror attack
Although the National Investigation Agency(NIA) has taken over the probe over the incident, CRPF personnel are conducting security checks in different parts of the two districts along with local police and the army.
Security and patrolling have been increased at the frontier and sensitive locations in Jammu following Thursday’s terror attack in which five soldiers were killed, officials said.
In the past two days, top officers of the Border Security Force (BSF) held meetings with the army and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), they said, requesting anonymity.
BSF director general Sujay Thaosen visited the forward defence locations in Poonch on Saturday and held a review meeting with field officers at the frontier. Thaosen, who is also the director general of CRPF, held another meeting with CRPF commanders in Rajouri and Poonch, and discussed security arrangements in the area.
Although the National Investigation Agency(NIA) has taken over the probe over the incident, CRPF personnel are conducting security checks in different parts of the two districts along with local police and the army.
The two paramilitary forces have a sizeable presence in the Jammu region because of its proximity to the Pakistan border. While BSF guards the frontiers, many battalions of the CRPF are posted in Jammu for law-and-order arrangements, which include securing the Jammu-Srinagar highway.
Both forces have their frontier and sector headquarters in Jammu, each headed by an inspector general.
“The director general was on a two-day visit to Jammu after the attack on Thursday. There was a review of the overall deployment of BSF in the frontiers and the domination plan in the forward defence locations. A separate meeting was held with the CRPF commanders in Rajouri and Poonch and the Army,” a BSF official aware of the details said on condition of anonymity.
The chief directed CRPF personnel on the highway to remain vigilant and increase security in sensitive locations, officials said.
On Thursday, terrorists ambushed an army truck in Bhatta Durrian in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch district by taking advantage of heavy rain and low visibility. The five soldiers killed were attached to the army’s Rashtriya Rifles unit and deployed for counterterror operations in the area.
An injured soldier was evacuated immediately to the army hospital at Rajouri. An army spokesperson had on Thursday said the army truck caught fire due to a likely use of grenades by the terrorists.
NIA officials aware of the probe details had on Friday said after starting the probe that around 5-7 terrorists -- three of them suspected to be foreign terrorists who most likely crossed over from Pakistan – hid inside dense forest and carefully chose the spot to carry out the well-planned ambush on the military truck.
