New Delhi: An army court of inquiry (CoI) into the custodial deaths of three civilians in an army camp near Poonch following a terror ambush in which four soldiers were killed last December is at an advanced stage, and strict action will be taken against those found guilty of lapses, people aware of the matter said on Friday.

The three civilians were among the nine people picked up by the army from Topa Peer village for questioning a day after the four soldiers were killed in the ambush at Dhatyar Morh in the Surankote area on December 21, 2023. The village has now been adopted by the army.

A separate CoI into lapses in the conduct of operations is also at an advanced stage, the people said, asking not to be named.

Days after the December 21 attack, Union defence minister Rajnath Singh and army chief General Manoj Pande visited the area and carried out a security review. The area was tense following the ambush and the custodial deaths.

Singh also met the families of the deceased persons and assured expeditious investigation into the incident, culminating in the delivery of justice.

On December 21, army vehicles were navigating a blind curve at Dhatyar Morh between Dera ki Gali (DKG) area and Bulfiaz when they came under heavy fire from terrorists. The vehicles were carrying soldiers to an active operation site in the DKG area, a few kilometres away.

Facing a backlash against the custodial deaths, the army then moved out three officers, including a brigadier, from Poonch pending the probe.

The proceedings related to the alleged incident are still in progress, the army said in a statement.

“Indian Army is committed to conducting a thorough and impartial inquiry to ascertain the facts surrounding this incident. All efforts are in place to ensure that the investigations are fair, comprehensive and conclusive. Further actions will be taken based on the outcome of the investigations and finalisation of proceedings,” the statement said.

The army is committed to upholding the highest standards of discipline, conduct and ethics, in accordance with the law, besides maintaining zero-tolerance towards any human rights violations, it said.

“Our protocols and procedures are designed to ensure that all personnel adhere to these principles, even under the most challenging operational conditions,” the statement added.

The December 21 ambush was the latest in a series of attacks that have claimed the lives of several army personnel during the last one year.

The Rajouri-Poonch area witnessed increased terror activity in 2023, and proxy tanzeems (terror groups) operating there continue to get support from across the Line of Control (LoC), where the support infrastructure for terrorists is intact, army chief General Manoj Pande said in January 2024.

“My guidance to soldiers and commanders on the ground is unambiguous in terms of respect for human rights and zero tolerance for any actions on that account. We have clearly laid down guidelines which spell out what you must do and what you must not do in those areas,” he had then said.