The Shakeel Ansari group of Hizbul Mujahideen was responsible for the attack on army convoy at Ramban on Sunday in which 19 people, including 13 army personnel, were killed, according to top defence sources.

Investigations revealed that it was not Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), but the Shakeel Ansari group which carried out the attack on the Jammu-Srinagar highway, the sources said.
Ansari's group was very active in Chenani-Gool and Arnas-Marmat areas in south of Pir Panjal ranges in Jammu division, they said adding that the militant hideouts have been identified and pressure was being put on them. "We will soon pin them down. Our troops are on follow up in this direction", they said.

They said security personnel had put tremendous pressure on militants in the entire Jammu region were over 100 ultras were killed in the past one month particularly in Poonch-Rajouri belt.

It may be recalled that Shakeel Ansari was seriously injured and his brother killed in an encounter with police in Marmat in Doda in July last year.

Bureau Report