In a major breakthrough in the investigation into the terrorist attack on an Army vehicle in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on April 20, a village has admitted to providing logistical support to the terrorists for nearly two to three months.
While senior officials of the security and police forces remained tight-lipped about the development, sources said the villager was one of the nearly 60 people picked up for questioning following the terror attack on the Bhimber Gali-Surankote-Poonch Road that killed five soldiers and who hurt another person. .
Sources said the terrorists who attacked the Army vehicle were reported to have initially stayed in the village house and later moved into Bhatta Durian forests.The village is said to have agreed to provide logistics, including food and shelter, to the terrorists.
Security forces also took the village inside the forest to lead them to the hideout of the terrorists.
Apart from the known on the ground workers (OGW), the police and security forces had rounded up many people for questioning because of their mobile phone location near the scene of the terror attack at the time . Police sources said that some people were let off the ground after nothing was found against them.
The security forces and police continued to search for the past week in Bhatta Durian forests and areas along the Line of Control in Balakote, Mendhar and Mankote sectors. However, no trace of the terrorist was found.
Meanwhile, Army Northern Commander Lieutenant General Upendra Dewivedi reviewed the progress of the ongoing search effort in the area and interacted with troops on Wednesday. This is his second visit to the region in five days after traveling to the region earlier on April 22.
