The Indian Army has launched extensive search operations to trace the terrorists who were involved in the grenade attack on troops in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch that claimed the lives of five soldiers on Thursday.

The entire area has been cordoned off while drones and sniffer dogs are being used to sniff out the terrorists that might be hiding in the area, the Army said.

"The Army and security agencies have received inputs about the presence of 6-7 terrorists operating in two groups in the Rajouri-Poonch sector near the area where the incident took place yesterday," defence sources told ANI.

According to information, Multiple Special Forces teams along with drones and surveillance helicopters have also been rushed to the area to help carry out search and destroy operations. The security forces including the Army, Police, and Intelligence Agencies are coordinating the operations.

Officials said that a high alert has been sounded in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch amid close vigil along the Line of Control. Traffic on the Bhimber Gali-Poonch road was stopped following the incident and people have been advised to go to Poonch via Mendhar, they said.

On Thursday, the Indian Army released a statement claiming that the incident in Jammu and Kashmir occurred due to a grenade attack by terrorists. The Indian Army claimed that the vehicle was fired upon by terrorists after which it erupted in flames, possibly due to the lobbing of grenades by the terrorists.

The army statement read, “An Army vehicle moving between Bhimber Gali and Poonch in the Rajouri sector in J&K was fired on by unidentified terrorists today. The vehicle caught fire, due to likely use of grenades by terrorists. Five personnel of the Rashtriya Rifles Unit deployed for Counter Terrorist operations, in this area, have unfortunately lost their lives in the incident. Another seriously injured soldier was evacuated immediately to the Army Hospital at Rajouri and is under treatment. Search operation on.”