MENDHAR/JAMMU :
SEVERAL people were detained for
questioning on Sunday as a massive
search operation for terrorists
behind the Indian Air Force (IAF) convoy attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s
Poonch district entered the second
day, officials said. Additional Director
General of Police, Jammu, Anand Jain
and senior officers of the Army and intelligence agencies visited
the ambush spot in the
Surankote area. The Army
also conducted aerial surveillance using a helicopter,
they said.
Five IAF personnel were
injured in the attack on
Saturday evening near
Shahsitarandoneofthemlater succumbed to injuries at
a military hospital.
Theofficialssaidawell-coordinated joint operation by
the Army and the police was
underway in many areas,
including Shahsitar, Gursai,
Sanai and Sheendara Top, to
neutralise the terrorists.
The attackers are believed
to have fled to a forest after
the attack, they said.
Besides AK assault rifles,
the terrorists alsouseda USmade M4 carbine and steel
bullets to cause maximum
casualties, the officials
added.
The IAF has identified the
fallenhero as CorporalVikky
Pahade and expressed condolences to his family.
“The CAS (Chief of Air
Staff) Air Chief Marshal V R
Chaudhari&allpersonnelof
Indian Air Force salute the
braveheart Corporal Vikky
Pahade, who made the
supreme sacrifice inPoonch
sector, in the service of the
nation. Our deepest condolences to the bereaved family. We stand firmly by your
side in this hour of grief,” it
posted on ‘X’.
The officials said teams of
theArmy’sParaCommandos
were also pressed into service in the search operation.
There has been no “contact” with the terrorists yet,
they said, adding that several people were detained for
questioning in connection
withtheattack,thefirstmajor
incidentinJammuregionthis
year.
Theofficials saidchecking
of vehicles has been intensifiedacross thedistrictwhich
is going to polls in the sixth
phase ofthe Lok Sabha electiononMay25.Poonchispart
oftheAnantnag-Rajouriparliamentary constituency.
The border district of
Poonch, along with adjoining Rajouri, has witnessed
major terrorist attacks over
thepasttwoyears.Theregion
was peaceful between 2003
and 2021.