Jammu, The hunt for the terrorists responsible for the ambush in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, which resulted in the tragic death of five army personnel, has led to the arrest of a truck driver and 50 others for questioning, officials said on Wednesday.
According to officials, the truck, which was initially going very close to the ill-fated military vehicles on the Machedi-Kindli-Malhar mountain road, slowed down near Badnota village in Lohai Malhar when the terrorists opened fire from two different directions. Five army personnel, including a junior officer, were killed in Monday's ambush.
Suspicions have been placed on the civilian driver of the dump truck, and authorities are investigating whether he intentionally delayed the convoy by requesting a passage through the culvert.
"The role of a civilian dump truck that slowed down this convoy is being investigated, as it is believed that the driver deliberately requested a passage through the culvert.
"Normally, preference is given to military vehicles in these areas, but the dump truck asked for a pass, which reduced the speed of both vehicles," an official said on condition of anonymity.
A massive search operation, carried out by the army and police, is underway amid heavy rain in dense forests in four districts.
The operation, launched from Kathua, Udhampur and Bhaderwah, resulted in the arrest of 50 people for questioning in connection with the ambush, officials said.
Efforts are being made to locate and neutralize the terrorists believed to be hiding in the forest, they said.
Meanwhile, a search operation is underway in the higher areas of Doda district following a shootout between terrorists and security forces.
Army and police personnel are deployed in dense forests in several parts of Udhampur, Samba, Rajouri and Poonch districts and fresh searches were launched in several areas on Wednesday morning.
Residents of Badnota village and neighboring areas have expressed concern for their safety following the ambush and have called for the establishment of village defense groups to combat terrorist threats.
Local residents have urged the government to provide them with weapons and training so they can support security forces in the fight against terrorism.
Search teams, supported by helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles, use sniffer dogs and metal detectors in dense forest areas. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is assisting the police in the investigation, while special forces units are carrying out surgical operations at specific locations.
"Residents, united in their determination for peace and security, are ready to help security forces eradicate terrorism from the region," an official said.
The call for empowerment through training and arming underscores the community's determination to safeguard their homeland against such acts of violence, the official said.
"The government should provide us with weapons and training, we are ready to fight shoulder to shoulder with our forces against the terrorists," said Jagdish Raj, a local.
Punkaj, a 20-year-old student, said the terrorist ambush has caused fear among the local population, but "the situation changes completely when you have weapons in your hands."
"We can quickly go into the forests and help combat the menace of terrorism," he said, calling for a special recruitment drive for local youth in the area.
Shahid Ahmad, who claimed to have moved from the higher areas to Machedi due to a terror threat, said Muslims and Hindus in the area want peace and are ready to help security forces eradicate terrorism.
"Our eyes were filled with tears at the loss of our soldiers. Such an attack had never happened (here) even during the peak of terrorism more than two decades ago," he said, adding that the government should provide them with weapons and training to fight . the threat.
Ahmad said that the innocent villagers, who have moved with their livestock to higher areas, are forced to provide food to the terrorists while threatening them at gunpoint.
"We are with our forces in the fight against terrorism," he said.
According to officials, the truck, which was initially going very close to the ill-fated military vehicles on the Machedi-Kindli-Malhar mountain road, slowed down near Badnota village in Lohai Malhar when the terrorists opened fire from two different directions. Five army personnel, including a junior officer, were killed in Monday's ambush.
Suspicions have been placed on the civilian driver of the dump truck, and authorities are investigating whether he intentionally delayed the convoy by requesting a passage through the culvert.
"The role of a civilian dump truck that slowed down this convoy is being investigated, as it is believed that the driver deliberately requested a passage through the culvert.
"Normally, preference is given to military vehicles in these areas, but the dump truck asked for a pass, which reduced the speed of both vehicles," an official said on condition of anonymity.
A massive search operation, carried out by the army and police, is underway amid heavy rain in dense forests in four districts.
The operation, launched from Kathua, Udhampur and Bhaderwah, resulted in the arrest of 50 people for questioning in connection with the ambush, officials said.
Efforts are being made to locate and neutralize the terrorists believed to be hiding in the forest, they said.
Meanwhile, a search operation is underway in the higher areas of Doda district following a shootout between terrorists and security forces.
Army and police personnel are deployed in dense forests in several parts of Udhampur, Samba, Rajouri and Poonch districts and fresh searches were launched in several areas on Wednesday morning.
Residents of Badnota village and neighboring areas have expressed concern for their safety following the ambush and have called for the establishment of village defense groups to combat terrorist threats.
Local residents have urged the government to provide them with weapons and training so they can support security forces in the fight against terrorism.
Search teams, supported by helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles, use sniffer dogs and metal detectors in dense forest areas. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is assisting the police in the investigation, while special forces units are carrying out surgical operations at specific locations.
"Residents, united in their determination for peace and security, are ready to help security forces eradicate terrorism from the region," an official said.
The call for empowerment through training and arming underscores the community's determination to safeguard their homeland against such acts of violence, the official said.
"The government should provide us with weapons and training, we are ready to fight shoulder to shoulder with our forces against the terrorists," said Jagdish Raj, a local.
Punkaj, a 20-year-old student, said the terrorist ambush has caused fear among the local population, but "the situation changes completely when you have weapons in your hands."
"We can quickly go into the forests and help combat the menace of terrorism," he said, calling for a special recruitment drive for local youth in the area.
Shahid Ahmad, who claimed to have moved from the higher areas to Machedi due to a terror threat, said Muslims and Hindus in the area want peace and are ready to help security forces eradicate terrorism.
"Our eyes were filled with tears at the loss of our soldiers. Such an attack had never happened (here) even during the peak of terrorism more than two decades ago," he said, adding that the government should provide them with weapons and training to fight . the threat.
Ahmad said that the innocent villagers, who have moved with their livestock to higher areas, are forced to provide food to the terrorists while threatening them at gunpoint.
"We are with our forces in the fight against terrorism," he said.
