Locals aided terrorists in Poonch ambush: DGP

SRINAGAR: Last week’s terror attack in Poonch that killed five soldiers had active local support, J&K police chief Dilbagh Singh said Friday, adding six such abettors had been arrested so far.
The support included providing shelter, logistics and drone-dropped arms -- including steel-coated armour-piercing bullets and explosives -- from Pakistan to inflict maximum damage on the army vehicle in the April 20 ambush, the DGP said.
“Such attacks can’t be carried out without local support. The terrorists were provided shelter at one place and transport to carry out the attack at another. They had done a proper recce of the area and despite rain, succeeded in targeting the army vehicle plying with almost zero speed due to a blind turn,” the DGP said after reviewing search operations in Rajouri district.
Singh added that nine to 12 foreign terrorists may be active in the Rajouri-Poonch area after having infiltrated recently.
The terrorists in Poonch had probably used natural hideouts in the forested patch before the attack. “They knew the spot and speed of the (army) vehicle. We are identifying the hideouts and operations are on to nab the attackers,” the DGP said, adding the “nine to 12” terrorists may have split into two groups for the strike.
While 200 people have been questioned, six more have been detained. Among the other six already arrested is one Nisar Ahmed, a local from Gursai village who is an over-ground worker -- an OGW or terror courier.
“He (Nisar) has been an active OGW since 1990. He was questioned several times in the past. This time, he was found involved in providing logistics, food and shelter to the Poonch terrorists,” Singh said and claimed Nisar’s family is also part of such activities.
Nisar and the others also collected the arms cache and money from Pakistan dropped by a drone. “We are identifying the spot where the drone had dropped the weapons and cash,” the DGP said.
The Poonch terrorists were given support for the past two to three months by “modules” of locals. “One full module has been caught,” Singh said.