2023 leaves behind Poonch in ‘state of concern’

Rajouri, Jan 2: Year 2023 witnessed border district Poonch emerging as a major area of concern, in terms of terror incidents and loss of lives therein, including nine army personnel.

As per officials, eleven terror incidents and loss of lives therein pushed the overall situation of the district in a ‘state of concern’ on the anti-terror front.

Sharing its boundary with areas of PoJK, the district, with 115 km long Line of Control (LoC), is a sensitive district in view of infiltration attempts, ceasefire violations, cross border smuggling and terror incidents.

It also shares its boundaries with Shopian district of South Kashmir at Pir Ki Gali on Mughal Road and with Baramulla district of North Kashmir through Saujiyan-Gulmarg mountain range.

The district witnessed a relatively calm and peaceful situation on the terror front during the last one decade though, earlier, it used to be a 'highly sensitive' district on the terror front. The security forces had also carried out a counter-terror operation ‘Operation Sarp-Vinash' in the year 2003 in the district.

This operation was carried out by forces led by the army in 2003 in Hill Kaka and other nearby hamlets eliminating over six dozen terrorists hiding in well-built bunkers in the hilly range.

A number of terror incidents, attacks, encounters, killings, explosions were witnessed from early 1990s to 2010 in the district. For the next decade or so, the district remained calm but the situation again turned volatile during the last three years with 2023 recording a number of terror incidents and attacks claiming lives of security personnel.

A total of eleven terror incidents and encounters took place in the district in 2023. They primarily included two major terror attacks; one at Bhata Dhurian on April 20 and another in DKG forests on December 21.

In all these incidents, nine army soldiers lost their lives while four others were injured besides nine terrorists were also killed in the encounters. Three were nabbed while they were attempting to smuggle arms, ammunition from the Line of Control in Poonch sector.

Three explosions of mysterious nature also took place in Surankote sub division in 2023. They included an explosion in the house of a former legislator; a temple premises and a camp of armed police.

Among two major terror attacks that took place in Poonch district in 2023 were terrorist attacks on an army vehicle at Bhata Dhurian on national highway and another terrorist attack on army vehicles on Dehra Ki Gali road.

The Bhata Dhurian attack took place on April 20 when an army vehicle was on its way to Sanjiote from Bhimber Gali and was attacked at Bhata Dhurian on Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch National Highway. The vehicle also caught fire after the attack and five army soldiers lost their lives in the attack while one was injured.

The second major attack took place on December 21 when terrorists ambushed two army vehicles on DKG-Bufliyaz road wherein four army soldiers lost their lives while three others were injured.

Other terror incidents included three explosions or grenade attacks in Surankote sub division areas. They included an explosion in the premises of the house of a former legislator in Lassana village of Surankote; in the premises of a temple in Surankote town and an explosion in the company camp of armed police in Surankote town.

Although a couple of vehicles received damages in these three explosions, there was no loss of life or injuries.

Another encounter took place in the district on July 17 in Sheindra village between Poonch and Surankote in which security forces eliminated four terrorists.

An infiltration attempt was witnessed on LoC in Gulpur Poonch on May 30 in which one local man was captured in injured condition and two were arrested. They were categorised as terrorists, attempting to smuggle arms, ammunition from LoC.

Similarly, one infiltrating intruder was shot down at LoC in Dabsi Mendnar on May 20 while one terrorist was killed by army on LoC in Chakan da Bagh, Poonch on July 17. One infiltrating terrorist was killed by the army on LoC in Degwar Terwan, Poonch.

Senior army commanders, including the Chief of Army Staff, Northern army commander, police officers including Director General of Police visited the Poonch district in 2023 to have a first-hand review of the security situation and operational progress.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh also visited Rajouri district last week and reviewed the situation in wake of terrorist ambush on two army vehicles at Dehra Ki Gali - Bufliyaz in Surankote subdivision of the district.

Earlier, former DGP J&K Police Dilbagh Singh too visited Poonch a number of times to take stock of the security situation. His last visit to the district was on September 3 when he had reviewed the security situation.

GoC-in-C Northern Command, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi also visited the Poonch district for a number of times in 2023 to review the situation.

Lt Gen Dwivedi, during his recent media interaction in Jammu, had stated that 20-25 terrorists might be operating in the area of Rajouri and Poonch.