Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday saw the biggest terror attack on a security forces vehicle since the 2019 Pulwama tragedy. Five Army personnel were martyred while one other soldier was seriously injured after their vehicle was attacked by unknown terrorists and caught fire in J&K’s Poonch area. The attack took place between Bhimber Gali and Poonch in the Rajauri sector. The injured soldier was immediately evacuated to the Army hospital at Rajouri.
The Army revealed early details regarding the attack and the identity of the soldiers who lost their lives. The deceased security personnel were from a Rashtriya Rifles unit which was deployed in the area for counterterror operations, the Army said in a statement. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was briefed by Army Chief General Manoj Pande about the incident.
The deceased soldiers are Havildar Mandeep Singh, Lance Naik Debashish Baswal, Lance Naik Kulwant Singh, Sepoy Harkrishan Singh and Sepoy Sewak Singh, the Army's Nagrota-based 16 Corps said.
The Army revealed initial details regarding the attack. The vehicle carrying the soldiers came under fire from unidentified terrorists and caught fire due to the likely use of grenades, it said. Bullet marks were seen on the vehicle and grenade fragments were recovered from the spot, confirming the incident as a terror attack, sources were cited by PTI to have said. The Army said that unidentified terrorists took advantage of heavy rains and low visibility in the area to carry out the attack.
“Today, at approximately 1500 hours, one Army vehicle, moving between Bhimber Gali and Poonch in the Rajauri sector was fired on by unidentified terrorists, taking advantage of heavy rains and low visibility in the area,” the Army said, adding, “The vehicle caught fire, due to likely use of grenades by terrorists.”
Operations are underway to catch the perpetrators, the Army said.
(Inputs from PTI)
