Jammu:
The three terrorists sneaked into Jammu and Kashmir and killed 10 people today before they were gunned down hours later.
In the most audacious attack this year, the terrorists, dressed in army fatigues, attacked first a police station and then an Army camp in J&K. A Lieutenant Colonel of the Indian Army is among the people killed by them.
The attack comes just three days before the Prime Minister meets his Pakistani counterpart in the US. Dr Manmohan Singh has called it "one more attack and barbarism by enemies of peace" and made it clear that his plans remain unchanged. "We will not allow it to derail our attempts to find resolution through the dialogue process," he said in a statement.
(PM says J&K attacks won't derail dialogue with Pak) | (
Read full statement)
But the BJP slammed the PM for his resolve to continue dialogue in the face of gruesome attacks on Indian soldiers.
"Mr Prime Minister - No dialogue over dead bodies. Please cancel your meeting with Nawaz Sharif," said BJP leader Sushma Swaraj.
The BJP's presumptive Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at a public rally in Tamil Nadu, "Mr PM the country wants to know what is your priority? Is it national pride and respecting the blood of martyrs or is it to show eagerness to talk to Pakistan under pressure from other countries?" (
J&K attacks: PM in 'hurry' to start talks with Pak, says BJP)The bodies of the three terrorists - aged between 16 and 19 - and believed to be from the banned Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba or LeT, are in the custody of the Army, officials said. Police sources have ruled out the possibility of a fourth terrorist. The gunmen were killed after a four-hour-long gunbattle.
"Four terrorists entered Jammu region from across the border this morning," said Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, quoting preliminary reports, according to PTI. The news agency also quotes the Army as saying that it foiled a major infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Keran sector of Kupwara yesterday and that around 30 militants are still believed to be trapped as security forces have cordoned off the area.
The heavily armed terrorists attacked the Hiranagar police station in Kathua district of J&K at about 6.45 this morning. They shot the sentry outside and three cops inside the police station and then escaped in a truck that they hijacked, to surface in an Army cantonment in the adjoining Samba district. (
How terrorists stormed J&K police station, army camp) |
(Timeline)
At the camp, they reportedly walked into the officer's mess shouting jihadi slogans and killed at least five unarmed Armymen, including the Lt Col, who was the second in command of the 16 Cavalry, the armoured corp unit attacked today. The Lieutenant Colonel was reportedly shot in the stomach at point back range.
The commanding officer of 16 Cavalry is among over a dozen people injured in the two attacks. He has been shot twice and is in critical condition.
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said the terror attacks today were clearly aimed at derailing the proposed dialogue between the two PMs and that not going ahead with the talks would mean "the militants have won." (
Attacks aimed at derailing PM-Nawaz Sharif talks, says Omar Abdullah) "The best answer is to convey our concerns to Pakistan strongly. What stops us from taking a hard line," Mr Abdullah said to NDTV.