Jammu, April 21: Ahead of G20 summit, terrorists attacked an army convoy in Poonch district of Pir Panjal Valley that led to the martyrdom of give soldiers belonging to Rashtriya Rifles on Thursday.
Terrorists opened fire and launched grenades on an Army convoy around 3 PM when the patrolling was taking place.
“Five bravehearts belonging to the Rashtriya Rifles have, unfortunately, lost their lives in the cowardly attack,” a Jammu-based Army spokesman told the media.
The terrorists took advantage of the rain and low visibility and threw grenades on an Army vehicle which caught fire. “The terrorists, then, resorted to indiscriminate firing on the Army truck,” the Spokesperson added.
Eyewitnesses said the Army vehicle had caught fire on all sides and was completely gutted.
A major anti-terror operations have been launched in the area, which has thick forests. “Operation is in progress to locate the perpetrators,” the Army said.
Army Chief General Manoj Pande briefed the Defense Minister Rajnath Singh about the attack. “In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the bereaved families,” Rajnath Singh tweeted.
The Army’s 16 Corps based in Nagrota said in a tweet that the martyred soldiers are Havaldar Mandeep Singh, Lance Naik Debashish Baswal, Lance Naik Kulwant Singh, Sepoy Harkishan Singh and Sepoy Sewak Singh.
EOM
