Poonch attack: Over 50 detained, search op on
JAMMU: Even as security forces continued to scan jungles of Bhata Dhurian, Narkhas and Tota Gali in Poonch district to track terrorists, who ambushed an Army truck killing five soldiers on Thursday, over 50 suspects have been detained since then to get clues about the attackers, said officials.
While People’s Anti Fascist Front, an offshoot of Jaish-e-Mohammad, had claimed the responsibility of the attack, officials in the security establishment suspect that Lashkar-eTaiba had also colluded with Jaish to carry out the attack.
“Since Thursday, more than 50 suspects, including over a dozen overground workers (militant sympathisers), were detained and some were let off. Search continued for the fifth day at Tota Gali, Bhata Dhurian and Narkhas forest areas of Poonch,” said officials.
Intel sources disclosed that the investigations so far into the Poonch ambush indicate that Pakistan’s ISI might have assigned the task to two terrorists Mohammad Amin Bhat, alias Khubaib, of Doda and Rafiq Nayi, alias Sultan, of Mendhar, presently in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Sources confided that the ISI had put Khubaib and Nayi on the task to foment trouble in Jammu region. Rafiq of Mendhar had fled across the Line of Control in 2007. While traffic movement on Bhimber Gali to Sangiote stretch of the Jammu-Poonch national highway was restored on Sunday, additional troops have been inducted to intensify searches in Bhata Dhurian, Narkhas and Tota Gali forest area.
“The act of targeting an Army truck was done to disturb peace in the month of Ramzan. The truck that was attacked was carrying fruits and other food items for Iftar celebrations at Sangiote. It amply conveyed the sinister designs of the adversary,” said defence sources.
Five Army personnel were killed and a sixth was seriously injured when their vehicle was ambushed by the terrorists on Thursday around 3 pm.
A sniper is believed to have targeted the Army truck from the front before his associates showered bullets and lobbed grenades, probably used RPGs and sticky bombs, apparently giving no time to the troops sitting in the rear to retaliate. “Terrorists used steel core bullets that can penetrate an armoured shield. Before fleeing, the terrorists also stole soldiers’ arms and ammunition,” said sources.
During the search operation, troops came across a few natural cave hideouts in the area, which could possibly have been used by the terrorists in the past, they said, adding the troops are also looking for any improvised explosive devices (IEDs) terrorists may have planted in the densely forested areas, especially in deep gorges and caves.
Army’s Northern Commander Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi Sunday said necessary action to nab the terrorists responsible for the deadly attack is under way.
Experts from various agencies, including the National Security Guard (NSG) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), have visited the site of the attack in the past two days to probe the incident. On Sunday, hundreds of people in Kishtwar took out a candlelight march to express solidarity with the family of the five jawans.