Terrorists fire at ambulance in Jammu convoy; 1 ultra killed

PTI Jammu: Terrorists opened fire at an Army convoy Monday morning, targeting an ambulance, in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu region, following which special forces and NSG commandos launched an operation killing one of the attackers, officials said. In a first, the Army also pressed its four BMP-II infantry combat vehicles for surveillance and strengthening the cordon around the attack site near the Assan temple in Jogwan village along the Line of Control (LoC) in Bhattal area of Khour, the officials said.

The Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty or BMP-II is a 1980-era Soviet Union Infantry Combat Vehicle which has 30mm fully stabilised automatic cannon, 7.62 mm Machine Gun and 4 kms range antitank wire-guided ‘Konkurs’ Missile. It can carry seven troopers and three crew members. It is also equipped with the Night Vision Device and Smoke Grenade Launchers system and has a maximum speed of 45 Kms per hour. Helicopters were also pressed into action to locate the hiding terrorists in the jungles of the area. The officials said the terrorists, believed to be three in number who infiltrated into India from across the border the night before, opened fire on the Army convoy around 6:30 am, targeting an ambulance.

Both of its occupants, including the driver, were unharmed. As the troops retaliated, the attackers fled towards the forest area nearby and were later located inside a basement, the officials said, adding there was an exchange of fire until 11 am when the guns fell silent. “The body of one terrorist along with weapon has been recovered. Operations are under progress,” the Army’s Jammu-based White knight Corps said in an update Monday evening.

An Army dog laid down its life after being hit by a bullet from terrorists during an encounter in the Akhnoor sector of the Jammu region on Monday, the force said. The courage, loyalty and dedication of the canine Phantom will never be forgotten, it added. The Army’s Jammu-based White Knight Corps said in a post on X, “We salute sacrifice of our true hero Indian Army dog, Phantom.”