Jammu: Armed forces have detained many persons in connection with the investigation of a case involving Thursday’s militant attack on an army vehicle on the highway in Poonch in which five army personnel lost their lives.
The attack was carried out in the dense forests between Bhata Dhurian and Bhimber Gali. An army vehicle was moving towards Bhata Dhurian and it was ambushed by militants and the vehicle caught fire.
Officials told the news agency Kashmir News Observer that the questioning of the detained people is going on.
On the other hand, the search operation launched in the area entered the third day with more teams of the army and police being deployed.
Vehicular movement on the highway 144-A, which connects Jammu with Rajouri and Poonch districts, has also been suspended on the 25-kilometre stretch from Bhimber Gali to Bhata Dhurian.
Police have put up barricades both on the Bhimber Gali side and Jarran Wali Gali side of the highway, blocking it for the movement of vehicles.
Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh as well as a high-level team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) visited the army vehicle attack site. The NIA team examined the site and reviewed the overall circumstances.
The DGP was accompanied by ADG Jammu zone Mukesh Singh. He later reached Rajouri where he chaired a series of meetings with armed forces and reviewed the overall situation.
The slain armed forces personnel include Hav Mandeep Singh, L/NK Kulwant Singh, Sep Harkrishan Singh and Sep Sewak Singh, all natives of Punjab and L/NK Debashish Biswal, a native of Odisha.
Army on Friday also held a wreath-laying ceremony for the five slain at Army’s General Hospital Rajouri. Senior officers from the army, police, and civil administration participated in the ceremony.
Meanwhile, the National Investigative Agency of India took over the investigation of the case and visited the spot while the Director General Border Security Force reviewed the situation.
