JK: Additional forces in Poonch; search for terrorists continues in Rajouri

POONCH: Additional security personnel were deployed in the Poonch district on Monday even as a search operation was ongoing in the forested terrain of Dera ki Gali, where two Army vehicles were ambushed by heavily armed terrorists from across the border last week.

Additional forces were also deployed in the Bafliaz area of Poonch district, officials informed.

Four Army personnel lost their lives while three others were injured in the ambush attack on Thursday, last week. Meanwhile, on Sunday, the four fallen soldiers, Naik Birender Singh, Rifleman Gautam Kumar, Naik Karan Kumar, and Rifleman Chandan Kumar, were accorded a tearful senf-off at a wreath-laying ceremony in Rajouri.

The Indian Army said on Saturday that it was conducting an inquiry into the deaths of three civilians in the Poonch-Rajouri sector, where terrorists carried out the ambush attack on the forces.

Taking to X, the Indian Army posted, "Search operations by the security forces are continuing in the area of operations after the incident of December 21. Reports have been received regarding three civilian deaths in the area. The matter is under investigation."

"The Indian Army stands committed to extending full support and cooperation in the conduct of investigations," the army added in its post.

A fierce encounter broke out after terrorists fired at two army vehicles passing through Dera Ki Gali in Rajouri's Poonch region at 3.45 pm on Thursday.

"At around 3.45 pm on December 21, two Army vehicles, carrying troops to the operational site, came under fire by terrorists. The jawans returned fire immediately," an Army official said.

"Our troops are in the process of intensifying the joint operation against terrorists underway in the area since last evening. The operations are taking place in the 48 Rashtriya Rifles area," the official added.