Moments Before Kathua Attack, Terrorists Went Door-To-Door, Asked For Water

Two terrorists who opened fire in a village in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district last evening had gone door-to-door asking for water, but the alert villagers shut the doors in their faces, the police said while sharing chilling details of the terror attack.

One of the terrorists was gunned down in an encounter that began overnight while a hunt for the second one has dragged into the morning. A paramilitary soldier was also killed in action.

The terrorists were first seen in the Saida Sukhal village of Hira Nagar late last evening, said Anand Jain, Additional Director General of Police, Jammu zone, who is supervising the anti-terrorist ops in Kathua.

"They asked for water from a few houses to which villagers grew suspicious and slammed the doors on them and a few raised hue and cry. The terrorists panicked and fired randomly in the air and also at one odd villager who was passing by," he said.

Security forces soon cordoned the area and engaged with the terrorists. One of the terrorists died while trying to throw a grenade at the cops, the top officer said, adding that houses are now being cleared one by one in search for the second terrorist.

Omkar Nath, a civilian who suffered injuries, and his wife have been evacuated to hospital, he said, denying reports that there were more casualties.

A second encounter is underway in Doda where an army base came under attack late last night. Sharing the details, Mr Jain said earlier this morning that terrorists opened fire at a joint party of police and Rashtriya Rifles at an army base in Chattargala area late last night. Five soldiers and a special police officer (SPO) were injured during the attack.

Jammu has been high on the terror radar with these attacks being reported from areas known to be free of terrorism.

Just two days before these two incidents, a bus with pilgrims had come under attack in Reasi and crashed into a gorge, killing nine and injuring 33 passengers. The attack was carried out on the directions of Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Abu Hamza, officials have said.