Poonch ambush: IAF mourns Corporal Vikky Pahade, as forces continue manhunt for terrorists

Amid aerial surveillance in Poonch as the forces continued the massive manhunt to trace the terrorists behind the ambush of its convoy, the Indian Air Force on Sunday mourned Corporal Vikky Pahade, who succumbed to injuries sustained in the attack on Saturday evening.

"The CAS Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and all personnel of (the) Indian Air Force salute the braveheart Corporal Vikky Pahade, who made the supreme sacrifice in (the) Poonch Sector, in the service of the nation. Our deepest condolences to the bereaved family. We stand firmly by your side in this hour of grief," read a post on the official X handle of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Earlier, on Sunday, security personnel launched a massive manhunt following a terrorist attack on an Indian Air Force convoy a day before, in which one personnel was killed. Security forces have laid down nakas and checking is going on in the area.


Additional forces of the Indian Army reached the Jarra Wali Gali (JWG) in Poonch on Saturday late at night.

After the ambush, which went down at the Sanai village in the Poonch sector, the injured personnel were rushed to the Command Hospital in Udhampur. However, one of the injured airmen succumbed to his injuries.

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, the local Rashtriya Rifles unit initiated a cordon and search operations in the vicinity, with support from the Army and police, to track down the perpetrators.

The IAF confirmed the incident through a tweet, stating that the targeted convoy was secured and an investigation was underway.

The IAF vehicles were secured inside the air base in the general area near Shahsitar.