Exactly a week after the dreaded terror attack in the border district of Poonch, security forces detained a man who allegedly provided shelter to the terrorists involved in this incident.
During initial questioning, the detained man confessed to providing shelter to the terrorists for two months to conduct recce and accomplish their nefarious design.
Sources said that a total of 60 people have been detained so far and one of them named Nasir Ahmed — allegedly told the investigators that he sheltered the terrorists at his house for more than two months and provided them with logistic and material support in Mendhar. Some of the detainees were let off after questioning, sources said.
Sources said that Nasir Ahme on instructions from Pakistan-based terrorist handlers, had planned and arranged the logistics for an ambush on an Army truck. The attack was executed on Jammu-Poonch national highway, amid rain and low visibility.
According to sources, Nasir Ahmed had kept terrorists at his home for two months. During their stay, the attackers — believed to be three in number-got instructions from a local handler on voice notes. "This is confirmed that the attack was planned from Pakistan," a source added.
PAFF claims responsibility for terror attack
The banned People's Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), an offshoot of Pakistan-backed terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, had claimed responsibility for the attack on the military truck on an isolated road at Bhata Duriyan in the Poonch district of J&K's Jammu division on April 20.
Sources said that security forces have picked up some over-ground workers for questioning. "During the interrogation of these OGWs, forces likely to get vital clues", sources said and added that terrorists executed the attack with the help of some sleeper cells which have been recently reactivated in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.
Five Army Bravehearts sacrificed their lives and another was seriously injured after their vehicle was attacked by terrorists in Poonch on April 20.
A massive search and cordon operation was launched after the attack and it has now spread to 12 areas across the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.
A large spread of forest areas, deep gorges, natural caves, and dense growths have been searched and the operation is now covering other places.
The troops involved in the operation are exercising utmost caution as the militants may have planted Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in the densely forested area with deep gorges and caves.
