NIA team, GOC, DGP, IGP visit spot
*Terrorists used M4 rifles, may be hiding in caves
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 22: Three persons were found dead under suspicious circumstances near the site of an ambush by terrorists on two Army vehicles at Dera Ki Gali in Surankote tehsil of Poonch district this evening that left four soldiers dead and two injured yesterday.
The deceased were among nine people reportedly picked up by the Army for questioning in connection with yesterday’s attack. They have been identified as Safeer Hussain, 43, son of Mir Hussain, Mohammad Showket, 27, son of Nazir Hussain and Mohammad Shabir, 32, son of Wali Mohammad, all residents of village Topi. They died under mysterious circumstances.
There was no official version on the killings.
District civil and police administration reached Bufliaz following reports of the deaths of three men while Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar is also heading for Surankote, the officials said.
Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) today started investigations in yesterday’s terror attack on two Army vehicles near Dera Ki Gali in Surankote area of Poonch district while GOC Nagrota Corps Lt Gen Sandeep Jain, DGP RR Swain and IGP Jammu Zone Anand Jain are camping at Poonch coordinating search operations against the terrorists involved in the strike. Click here to watch video
Preliminary investigations revealed that the terrorists used US-made M4 rifles in the attack. They were believed to be the activists of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) or Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfits though it was People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF) that has claimed responsibility.
“US-made M4 rifles have earlier also been used by the terrorists. These weapons have been seized by security forces during encounters as well in the Kashmir valley,” they added.
Officials said nearly a dozen suspects have been detained for questioning in connection with the terror attack. As per the officials, four soldiers were martyred and three others were injured.
An NIA team comprising two senior officers visited Dera Ki Gali where three to four terrorists struck yesterday afternoon and ambushed two vehicles of the Army including a Gypsy and a truck. They escaped after inflicting casualties. The NIA is likely to takeover investigations in the case.
Officials said Pakistani terrorists reportedly trained in Afghanistan are reported to have carried out the terror attack with active local support.
As per the officials, nearly 30 terrorists are operating in Rajouri and Poonch districts and almost all of them are believed to be foreign mercenaries, mostly Pakistanis. However, they appeared to be well trained in Afghanistan.
Officials said some naturally made cave type hideouts in Pir Panjal range are being used by the terrorists for taking shelter with active support of some locals.
There were reports that Pakistan was intentionally infiltrating terrorists into Rajouri and Poonch at the behest of China as some of the troops from these border districts have been shifted and deployed in Eastern Ladakh. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China has been facing tough times along Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in Eastern Ladakh.
Meanwhile, General officer Commanding (GOC) Nagrota Corps Lt Gen Sandeep Jain visited the site of yesterday’s terror attack and reviewed the situation with top Army and police officers.
“Indian Army and White knight Corps salute the bravery and supreme sacrifice of four soldiers in Surankote yesterday while fighting the scourge of terrorism”, White Knight Corps, or XVI corps, wrote on X.
DGP RR Swain and IGP Jammu Zone Anand Jain also visited the spot along with police officials of Poonch to review the situation and devise strategy to intensify search operations against the terrorists and eliminate them. Both the senior officers are camping in the area.
An official said aerial monitoring using helicopters is also being conducted and sniffer dogs have been pressed into service to track down the terrorists who ambushed two Army vehicles in the area.
“A massive cordon and search operation has begun this morning after a night cordon in area,” an officer said, adding the operation was still going on but there has been no trace of the terrorists.
He said that additional troops have been inducted into area to track down the terrorists involved in the firing.
On Thursday, around 3.45 pm, the two Army vehicles carrying troops to the site of a cordon-and-search operation came under attack at a blind curve at Dhatyar Morh between Dera Ki Gali and Bufliaz under the jurisdiction of Surankote police station.
Dera Ki Gali road has been closed for traffic since yesterday. Top officials of Army and police are monitoring in the situation at the ground.
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