Poonch attack: Terrorists Used Steel Bullets, Stole Soldiers' Weapons

The terrorists, who ambushed an Army truck in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, used steel core bullets and secretly ran away with the soldiers’ weapons.

Officials said there is a high chance that a sniper targeted the truck upfront before terrorists started shooting at soldiers.

Source : PTI

The terrorists, who ambushed an Army truck on April 20 in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, used steel core bullets and stole the soldiers’weapons. Officials conducting the operations to trace and neutralise the perpetrators said these bullets had the capability to pierce an armoured shield. They said there is a high chance that a sniper targeted the truck upfront before terrorists started shooting at the soldiers. Last Thursday, five soldiers were killed and one was left injured in the terrorist attack on the lone Army truck. The incident took place when the truck was transporting eatables.

Many experts from agencies, such as the National Security Guard (NSG) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), visited the site of the attack over the past two days. They said a sniper could have been used to target the truck from the front, which gave the soldiers no time to retaliate, reported news agency PTI. 

According to officials, the terrorists used grenades and sticky bombs to set the vehicle on fire. They further said the terrorists also used steel core bullets with the ability to pierce through the armoured trucks. Officials further stated the terrorists stole the soldiers' arms and ammunition before fleeing the spot.

More than 12 people have been detained for questioning in connection with the Poonch attack without any arrests so far, reported PTI. Officials said they are using drones and sniffer dogs to carry ou the recce of the forest without any success so far.

According to them, the terrorists have created safe and secure hideouts in the dense forest to ensure they are not caught by security personnel. There are possibilities that they might have crossed the border as well. Initial reports say that around five terrorists were involved in the attack along with some foreigners, said officials as cited by PTI.

Authorities said those who executed the attack must have stayed in Rajouri and Poonch for more than a year because they had sufficient knowledge of the area. Currently, there are three to four terrorist outfits that are very active in this area and it is a hotbed of Jammu and Kashmir Gaznavi Force (JKGF) because its 'commander' Rafiq Ahmed alias Rafiq Nayi is a resident of this region.