Poonch- Mobile Internet services were suspended in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch and Rajouri districts early Saturday as security forces continued their massive search operation to track down terrorists behind the recent ambush on two Army vehicles that left five soldiers dead, officials said.
The suspension of the mobile Internet services in the twin border districts followed mysterious death of three persons after being allegedly picked up by the Army for questioning, and widespread resentment among people after the circulation of videos purportedly showing torture of the suspects.
While both Army and civil authorities are tight-lipped on the ground situation, official sources said mobile Internet services were suspended both in Poonch and Rajouri districts as a precautionary measure to check rumour-mongering and prevent miscreants from creating any law and order problem.
Senior Army, police and civil officers are monitoring the situation, the sources said, adding additional police and paramilitary personnel were deployed in sensitive pockets of the districts to maintain peace.
Three to four heavily-armed terrorists targeted an army gypsy and a truck at Dhatyar Morh between Dhera Ki Gali and Bufliaz under the jurisdiction of Surankote police station in Poonch late Thursday afternoon, killing five soldiers and injuring two others.
After the attack, the terrorists reportedly mutilated the bodies of at least two soldiers and took weapons of some of them.
A massive search operation was launched immediately after the attack in the densely forested areas, also covering nearby Thanamandi in Rajouri but there was no fresh contact with the fleeing terrorists so far, the officials said.
Infiltrator Killed Along IB In Jammu
One terrorist was killed as army troops guarding the International Border (IB) scuttled an infiltration attempt here early Saturday, officials said.
The operation happened when a group of four heavily-armed terrorists was noticed sneaking into this side from across the IB in the Khour sector of Akhnoor in the early hours, the officials said.
Army’s Jammu-based White Knight Corps said the suspected movement of terrorists was captured through surveillance devices during the intervening night of December 22 and 23. “Effective fire brought down. Terrorists seen dragging one body back across the IB,” it posted on X.
A defence spokesman shared a clip recorded on a surveillance device, showing four terrorists making an attempt to cross over into India from across the border under the cover of darkness.
The officials said the area was kept under a tight vigil and a search operation was launched with the first light of the day.
Blood stains confirmed the killing of a terrorist whose body was, however, dragged back by his associates to the Pakistan side, the officials said.
The operation was still underway when the reports last came in, they said.
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