Srinagar: Five army personnel were killed on Thursday afternoon by suspected militants in an ambush attack when they opened fire and threw explosives at an army truck “taking advantage of heavy rain and low visibility” in Pir Panchal region’s Poonch district,” the Udhampur-based Northern Command (Indian army) said in a statement.
Earlier, when the attack occurred it was said that four army men were charred to death when their vehicle caught fire. However, it was also said that an investigation is underway if the incident happened due to grenades or thundering.
The incident took place near the LOC (Line of control) that divides the Himalayan region of Kashmir into Indian and Pakistan-controlled territories.
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“One Army vehicle, moving between Bhimber Gali and Poonch in the Rajouri sector was fired on by unidentified (militants), taking advantage of heavy rains and low visibility in the area. The vehicle caught fire, due to likely use of grenades by militants,” reads the army statement.
Five personnel of the Rashtriya Rifles Unit deployed for Counter Terrorist operations in this area have unfortunately lost their lives in the incident, it reads.
“Another seriously injured soldier was evacuated immediately to the Army Hospital at Rajouri and is under treatment,” it said.
Operations are underway to locate the perpetrators, the army added.
