NSG officials inspect Poonch terror attack site

NIA and Intelligence Bureau teams, along with the J&K Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh, Jammu Additional DGP Mukesh Singh and senior security force officials had visited the spot on Friday. The DGP and ADGP later held a meeting with senior Army and police officers to review the situation emerging out of the terrorist activities in Poonch and Rajouri districts, where two terror attacks have taken place this year.

While five Army soldiers were killed and another injured in a terrorist ambush near Bhatta Durian on the Bhimber Gali-Surankote road in Poonch district on April 20, seven civilians were killed and 14 others injured in a terror attack at Upper Dangri in the adjoining Rajouri district on January 1-2.

A massive search and cordon operation has been launched in the Bhatta Durian forests with Rashtriya Rifles using drones and sniffer dogs to track down the terrorists. The police have so far detained 11 people for questioning.

Meanwhile, the movement of vehicular traffic on the Bhimber Gali-Surankote stretch of the Rajouri-Poonch National Highway remained suspended for the third day on Saturday. All the vehicles moving to Poonch were being asked to proceed via Mendhar.