DRONES and sniffer dogs were used and a MI chopper conducted a recee of the dense forest area of Bata-Doriya in Poonch on Friday in a massive manhunt for the terrorists who killed five Army personnel and injured one the day before. Meanwhile, at least 12 people were detained for questioning. Officials said that those detained were being questioned at various levels by the security forces to ascertain the identity of the terror group, which is believed to be active in the area for more than a year and probably comprises a snipper too. An NIA team visited the ambush spot and conducted full inspection of the area and the vehicle targeted in the attack. Top police and Army officers including DGP Dilbag Singh, ADGP Mukesh Singh and GoC reviewed the search operation, officials said. 

 

 The entire area of TotaGali-Bata Doriya, which has dense forests, has been cordoned off. The five Army personnel were killed and another was seriously injured on Thursday after their vehicle caught fire following the attack. The soldiers were from a Rashtriya Rifles unit deployed for counter-terror operations. Sources said, the attack is suspected to have been carried out by a group ofthreetofourterroristswho used some explosive, possibleastickybomborgrenade, due to which the vehicle caught fire. Those who executed the attack are believed to have been present in Rajouri and Poonch from more than one year and had adequate knowledge of the terrain which is quite tough, they said.

 

Banned terror group People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), a proxy wing of terror group Jaish-eMohammed, has claimed responsibility for the attack. There are reports suggesting that it was a handiwork of banned Lashker-e-Toiba group also. TheArmy said,the vehicle the soldiers were travelling in came under fire and it caught fire because of the likely use of grenades. The Army found bullet marksonthe vehicle andthe body of a jawan. Top Army andpoliceofficialsonFriday laid wreaths and paid homage to the soldiers. Meanwhile, Jammu witnessed several protests by BJP, VHP, Rastriya Bajrang Dal, Shiv Sena, Dogra Front andJammuStatehoodorganisation among others.