The vehicle was fired upon by the terrorists and later caught fire due to a likely grenade attack, the Army said.
Srinagar: Five soldiers died and another was seriously injured in a terrorist attack on a military vehicle in Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri sector on Thursday.
The vehicle was fired upon by the terrorists at around 3 pm near the Bhimber Gali area and later caught fire due to a likely grenade attack, the Army said.
VIDEO | Indian Army vehicle catches fire in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch sector. More details are awaited. pic.twitter.com/E4gyvthM54
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 20, 2023
The unidentified terrorists fired at the Army vehicle, taking advantage of heavy rain and low visibility in the area, according to an official statement by the Army headquarters, Northern Command.
The vehicle caught fire due to the likely use of grenades by terrorists, it added.
Five personnel of the Rashtriya Rifles unit deployed for counterterrorist operations in the area died in the incident, said the Army. Another soldier, who was seriously injured in the attack, was evacuated to the hospital and is under treatment.
@Whiteknight_IA salutes the sacrifice of Hav Mandeep Singh, L/Nk Debashish Baswal, L/Nk Kulwant Singh, Sep Harkrishan Singh, Sep Sewak Singh, who laid down their lives in the line of duty in #Poonch Sector on 20 Apr 23. We stand in solidarity with the bereaved families. pic.twitter.com/50D9HRdssa
— White Knight Corps (@Whiteknight_IA) April 20, 2023
Operations are on to locate the attackers, it added.
“Anguished by the tragedy in Poonch District (J&K), where the Indian Army has lost its brave soldiers after a truck caught fire. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the bereaved families,” said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
The terror attack comes on a day Pakistan announced that its Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will visit India next month for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s foreign ministers’ meeting in Goa.
Notably, a G20 Tourism Working Group meeting is also scheduled in Srinagar in May.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval had reviewed the security situation in the Union territory last week.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Director General of Police Dilbag Singh, and other senior officials also attended the meeting.
