Drone dropped bullets, IED for Poonch strike: J&K Police

Nine to 12 foreign militants are suspected to have infiltrated into the Poonch-Rajouri sector; DGP Dilbagh Singh says attackers may have split into groups of two or three and gone into hiding

Security personnel stand guard during a search operation at the Tota Gali in Numbar Gali area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch on April 28, 2023. | Photo Credit: ANI

Jammu and Kashmir’s Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh on April 28 arrested a man for his role in April 20 Poonch attack.  

The officer identified the accused as Nisar Ahmad, who lived in Gursai village with his family members.  

The police suspected that nine to 12 foreign militants may have infiltrated into the Poonch-Rajouri Sector. “They may have infiltrated recently and split into groups of two or three and are hiding in the region,” Mr. Singh said during his visit to Rajouri.  

Mr. Singh said that the arms and ammunition that were air dropped by a drone for the attack was received by Nisar Ahmad.  

“We are identifying the spot where the drone had dropped the weapons and cash. Nisar’s arrest has given direction to the investigation and provided vital leads. He has been an active over ground worker for terrorists since 1990 and was questioned in the past. He was involved in providing logistic and other support to terrorists, who carried out the Poonch attack,” the DGP said. 

J&K: Security forces intensify counter-terror operation in Poonch | Video Credit: ANI

The police have questioned around 200 people so far. “Twelve suspects have been detained,” he added. 

Five soldiers were killed, and another was injured in a meticulously planned attack by militants, who ambushed a solitary Army vehicle. A sharpshooter killed the driver and others rained bullets from two sides of the vehicle. The attackers came close to the vehicle to snatch service rifles from injured soldiers and used explosives to blast the vehicle in Bhata Durian area, which has dense forest range nearby. 

“It was carried out with active local support and terrorists had used steel-coated armour-piercing bullets and IEDs to target the army vehicle to inflict maximum damage. An intense search to track the natural hide-outs used by terrorists is being launched,” DGP Singh said. 

The attack was carried out at a bend where vehicles slow down for a turn. 

“A proper recce of the area was carried out. Despite rain, they succeeded in targeting the Army vehicle that negotiating the blind turn. The attackers knew the spot very well and the speed of the vehicle,” Mr. Singh said. 

He said the bullets used on April 20 were like those used during the January 1 attack in Rajouri’s Dhangri village, where seven civilians were killed.