- Friday, April 25, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
Five Indian soldiers were on Thursday (20) martyred while another one was seriously injured in a terror attack on a military vehicle in Poonch in the Rajouri sector of the northern Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to sources in the Indian Army, terrorists fired at the vehicle near Bhimber Gali area and it caught fire due to a likely grenade attack. The incident happened around 3 pm local time.
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 vehicle, taking advantage of heavy rain and low visibility in the area, an official statement issued by the army headquarters, Northern Command, said, NDTV reported.
The deceased were personnel of the Rashtriya Rifles unit deployed for counter-terrorist operations, the army added.
The injured student was undergoing treatment in hospital.
The army said a hunt was on for the attackers.
Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh expressed anguish over the incident, tweeting, “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.”
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.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) April 20, 2023
The terror attacks came ahead of Pakistani foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s visit to India in May to take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s foreign ministers’ meeting in the western state of Goa.
Indian home minister Amit Shah and national security adviser Ajit Doval had reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir last week.
