Rajouri, Apr 21: A high level team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Director General of Police (DGP) J&K Dilbag Singh Friday visited the terror attack site in Bhata Dhurian forests of Mendhar sub division in Poonch district.
Meanwhile during the day, around one dozen suspects were detained for questioning in Thursday’s terror attack. On the other hand, the Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) was further intensified in dense forests with the army pressing MI-chopper, drones and sniffer dogs also in the operation.
Five soldiers were killed while another was injured after the terrorists ambushed an army vehicle near dense forests between Bhata Dhurian and Bhimber Gali in Poonch district on Thursday.
DGP, NIA AT THE ATTACK SITE
Earlier in the day, the Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Dilbag Singh as well as a high level team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) visited the site in Poonch where the army vehicle was ambushed by the terrorists in Bhata Dhurian forests.
The NIA team, headed by a DIG ranked officer, examined the site, reviewed the scenario to get an idea about the trail of circumstances leading to the terror attack and also interacted with other security agencies. It is being anticipated that NIA will take over the case as has happened in the recent terror acts in the sub-region.
The Director General of Police also visited the site of the attack in Poonch. He was accompanied by ADG Jammu zone Mukesh Singh, DIG Rajouri Poonch range, Dr Haseeb Mughal, SSP Poonch Rohit Baskotra besides other senior officers.
Later, the DGP reached Rajouri, where he chaired a series of meetings with the senior officers of different security agencies and reviewed the overall security situation. During the meeting, the senior officers of army, police and Central Para Military Forces (CPMFs) deliberated over aggressive counter terrorist operations in progress in the Pir Panjal sub-region.
OVER ONE DOZEN SUSPECTS DETAINED
Official sources stated that so far around one dozen persons were detained in connection with the investigation of this terrorists’ attack on an army vehicle on the National Highway.
Most of the detentions, official sources said, were made in Mendhar sub division of Poonch district where the incident happened. Some people from other parts of the district were also detained, they said.
Official sources said that the questioning from the detained people was going on and security forces were trying to unearth some links with the perpetrators of the terror act. Some of the detained persons were OGWs.
During the attack, carried out in dense forests between Bhata Dhurian and Bhimber Gali, the army vehicle moving towards Bhata Dhurian was ambushed by terrorists, taking advantage of inclement weather conditions. They reportedly fired on the vehicle and threw grenades also. As a consequence, the army vehicle caught fire and five army personnel were killed while another was critically injured.
The attack is being considered as one of the deadly terror strikes in the region after January 1 Dhangri terror attack as the vehicle was ambushed in broad day- light on the National Highway which otherwise remains dominated by the Army’s Road Opening and Area Domination teams.
MASSIVE CASO ON IN DENSE FORESTS
On the other hand, the massive anti-terrorist operation launched in the area entered the second day to track the terrorists. The Cordon and Search Operation was further intensified with more teams of army and police deployed. Reports suggested that the army had pressed MI choppers besides drones and sniffer dogs in the search operation. Intensive searches were going on.
Sources stated that joint teams of army and police were carrying out searches and area domination after Thursday’s terror attack. Senior officers of both army and police were supervising the search operations and monitoring the situation.
VEHICULAR TRAFFIC ON NH REMAINS SUSPENDED
Vehicular movement on the National Highway 144A, that connects Jammu with Rajouri and Poonch districts, remained suspended on a twenty-five kilometers long stretch from Bhimber Gali to Bhata Dhurian for the second consecutive day.
An official advisory was issued by police on Thursday and people were asked not to travel on the highway. They were asked to move towards Mendhar to reach Poonch or Surankote.
Police have put barricades both on Bhimber Gali side and Jarran Wali Gali side of the highway blocking it for movement of vehicles.
“A traffic-advisory has already been issued and there is no movement of traffic allowed on the highway between Bhimber Gali and Jarran Wali Gali,” Deputy SP Traffic, Mohammad Nawaz said.