By Our Special Correspondent
Terrorists attacked an Army camp in Rajouri district on Thursday killing four soldiers and the two attackers were gunned down in the shootout after the pre-dawn suicide strike that marked the return of ‘fidayeen’ to Jammu and Kashmir after more than three years.
Both the terrorists, who are believed to be from the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), were heavily armed with deadly ‘steel core’ bullets and were shot down after an over four-hour gun battle which started at 2 AM and ended just before 6.30 AM, police said. The attack came four days ahead of India’s 75th Independence Day next Monday.
Director General of Police Dilbag Singh told PTI that the two ‘fidayeens’ (suicide attackers), believed to be from the banned JeM, attempted to sneak into the camp but were neutralized.
Giving details, Defence spokesman at Jammu Lt Col Devender Anand said alert sentries of the Army post at Parghal in Rajouri district in the Jammu region, about 185 km from Jammu city, detected suspicious persons approaching their post taking advantage of the inclement weather and dense foliage.
He said the sentries challenged the two terrorists who lobbed grenades while attempting to gain entry inside the post. However, alert troops cordoned the area and engaged them in a firefight, he added.
JeM terrorists had earlier unsuccessfully attempted to carry out a ‘fidayeen’ attack on April 22 in Jammu when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to be in town. However, the two terrorists were killed in a chance encounter with the CISF near the Sunjawan Army camp. An officer of the paramilitary force was also killed.
An Army spokesperson tweeted that Army chief General Manoj Pande and all ranks “salute the supreme sacrifice” of the soldiers who laid down their lives in the line of duty in Rajouri and offer deepest condolences to the bereaved families.
J and K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha condemned the attack and vowed to deal with terrorists and their supporters in a befitting manner.
Former J and K chief minister Omar Abdullah offered his condolences and said “very sorry to hear about the death in the line of duty of three soldiers following a militant attack in Rajouri.” Senior BJP leader Davinder Singh Rana expressed his anguish and tweeted, “I salute the brave hearts the martyred soldiers who laid their lives for the Nation. Pakistan a crumbling nation is desperate n is using regulars to create disharmony in J&K but will never succeed”.
On May 8, a terrorist was killed as the Army foiled an infiltration bid along the LoC in Rajouri district. There were several blasts in Rajouri district in April and May.
Police had busted two modules of the LeT instrumental in carrying out terror acts and ferrying drone-dropped weapons from Pakistan to the Kashmir valley. They arrested five members of two terror modules. PTI
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