According to the Army, around 25 foreign terrorists are still operating in the region.(Representational)
A Brigade Commander of the Army has been asked to join the formal inquiry into the death of three civilians who were detained by troops for questioning in connection with a terrorist attack on Friday in Jammu and Kashmir. The action comes after the Army said it has zero tolerance for violence against innocent civilians.
The inquiry will also look into the recurrent loss of own troops in terrorist attacks in the area of responsibility of the officer in recent times, said sources.
The move coincides with Army Chief General Manoj Pande's visit to Jammu. He reached Jammu this morning and later left for the Rajouri-Poonch sector to review the operational preparedness of the force and the prevailing security situation.
Three civilians - Mohammad Safeer, Shabir Ahmad and Showkat Hussain - were found dead after they were detained for questioning along with over a dozen other villagers from the Bafliaz area on Friday.
The families and political parties alleged the men died in custodial torture after a purported video showing troops beating the civilians was widely shared on social media. An Army officer said they were looking into the veracity of the video.
In the last seven months, more than 20 soldiers, including officers and Special Forces Commandos, have been killed in terrorist attacks in the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri.
On Thursday, heavily armed terrorists ambushed two vehicles of the army near Bafliaz. Four soldiers were killed and three others were injured.
The region, known as the Pirpanjal region, was free from terrorism since 2003. It resurfaced in October 2021 after a major attack on the Army.
According to the Army, around 25 foreign terrorists are still operating in the region.