Terrorists In J&K's Poonch Got Weapons Via Pak Drones, Hunt On: Top Cop

A week after a major terrorist attack on the army in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, the police said around a dozen terrorists could be operating in the area who are getting arms supply through drones from Pakistan.

A large-scale security operation to flush out the terrorists has been going on for the past one week without any success. Dilbag Singh, Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police, visited the area. He said the recent attack on the army has been carried out with active local support.

The police chief said one of the suspects arrested for providing shelter and logistics to terrorists is Nasir Ahmad.

Mr Singh said the terrorist supporter Nasir Ahmad and his family, who were already under the radar of security forces, provided logistics to the terrorists. The top cop said based on his interrogation, the police have got vital information about terrorist activities.

The police, however, said the arrests have not helped them to make a substantial headway in tracking down the terrorists. "The real success is when we are able to neutralise the terrorists behind the attack," Mr Singh said.

He said at least six suspects have been arrested and over 200 were detained for questioning in connection with the terrorist attack in which five soldiers were killed.

The large number of detentions, however, is a clear indication that the security forces have no precise information to track down the attackers.

The crackdown on the suspects triggered outrage after one person consumed poison and died by suicide over alleged harassment and torture.

In a video message recorded before Mukhtar Hussain Shah died by suicide, he asked his relatives and villagers to support the army and fight terrorism. "My family has always supported India but it's the same family which is being tortured" Mr Shah said in the video.

The attack last week at Bhata Durian was the second major attack in the area in the past four months.

Earlier this year, seven people were killed and over a dozen injured after terrorists targeted Hindu families in Rajouri.

The attackers are still at large as security forces failed to track them down despite a massive security operation in the region.

The People's Anti-Fascist Front, a frontal group of the terror organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed, has claimed responsibility for the attack on the army.

The police said the terrorists used armour-piercing bullets in the attack. They also fled with five assault rifles of the jawans after the attack.