Poonch terror attack: A team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is arriving in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district where five jawans were killed in a terror attack on Thursday. The jawans were from the Rashtriya Rifles and were on counter-terror duty. They died when terrorists fired at an Army vehicle.
The NIA team will reach Poonch at around 12:30 pm on Friday along with eight forensic experts from Delhi.
Army released the names of the killed soldiers. They are Havildar Mandeep Singh, Lance Naik Debashish Baswal, Lance Naik Kulwant Singh, Sepoy Harkrishan Singh and Sepoy Sewak Singh. Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande paid his tributes to the soldiers on Friday.
The jawans killed in the firing were from the Rashtriya Rifles Unit and were deployed for counter-terrorism operations in the area.
Search operation launched
Meanwhile, security forces have launched a massive search operation in the forests of the Bata-Doriya area. It cordoned off the area, and security forces are using drones and sniffer dogs to trace the terrorists.
A Bomb Disposal Squad and Special Operations Group (SOG) are also at the site to probe the attack.
Giving details, army said terrorists fired on the Army vehicle, taking advantage of the heavy rain and low visibility in the area. Sources said that the firing took place from three sides and soon a grenade attack followed. The vehicle’s fuel tank caught fire in the grenade attack, they added.
Jaish-backed terror group, People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), has claimed responsibility for the attack. Officials suspect four terrorists were involved in the incident.
Thursday’s attack took place near the site of a 2021 encounter that lasted several weeks. Despite an intense search operation, the terrorists had managed to flee the spot and changed their locations.
Omar pays tribute
Tributes poured in from the political fraternity. National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah tweeted, “Terrible news of a terror attack in Poonch that claimed the lives of 5 army jawans in the line of duty. I unequivocally condemn this heinous attack & send my condolences to the loved ones of those killed today. May the souls of the departed rest in peace.”
Delhi chief minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal expressed shock over the death of the soldiers and called for the strongest punishment for those “behind this cowardly attack.”
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