A massive search op has been launched by the Army and other security agencies to track down and capture the seven Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists who attacked a military truck in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch Thursday, killing five soldiers and injuring a sixth.
The attack - which reports indicate involved rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles - took place in the forests of the sector's Bata-Doriya area from Bhimber Gali to Sangiot.
The area is cordoned off and forensic teams from the Army and the National Investigation Agency are on the scene. Sniffer dogs and drones are being used to hunt the terrorists.
Key points:
- The incident took place around 3 pm Thursday in the Rajouri sector of the district. A statement by the Army's Northern Command said the truck may have caught fire immediately due to the use of RPGs.
- The slain jawans had been deployed to the Army's Rashtriya Rifles unit and had been tasked with counter-terrorism ops in the area.
- Sources said the terrorists opened fire from three sides, suggesting a planned ambush. Security officials believe at least four terrorists were involved in the attack itself.
{{/usCountry}}- Sources said the terrorists opened fire from three sides, suggesting a planned ambush. Security officials believe at least four terrorists were involved in the attack itself.
{{/usCountry}}- The attack took place near the site of a 2021 encounter, in which Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Abu Zarara was killed.
- The Army has released the names of the soldiers shot dead. They have been identified as Havildar Mandeep Singh, Lance Naik Debashish Baswal, Lance Naik Kulwant Singh, Sepoy Harkrishan Singh and Sepoy Sewak Singh, the Army's 16 Corps, based in Nagrota, said.
- J&K Governor Manoj Sinha expressed sorrow and said, "I am deeply anguished by the loss of lives of brave Army personnel in a tragic incident at Poonch. Their rich service to the nation will never be forgotten. My thoughts are with the bereaved families."
- Defence minister Rajnath Singh also tweeted. He said, "Anguished by the tragedy in Poonch district (J&K), where the Indian Army has lost its brave soldiers after a truck caught fire. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the bereaved families." The defence minister's tweet came minutes before the Army said the soldiers were killed in a terror strike.
- Opposition leaders like Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party boss Arvind Kejriwal and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi have also expressed sorrow over the terror attack.