Two attacks in two days: Army eliminates 2 militants in Samba

Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Mar 21: In second major terror attack on security installation in two days, two fidayeens today attacked Army camp at Mahesar, about four kilometers from Samba and made unsuccessful attempt to force their entry inside but alert troops after nearly six hour long gun fight eliminated both the militants before they could succeed in inflicting casualties on the troops.
Meanwhile, security forces and police today recovered four Pakistan made track suits and four pairs of shoes apart from some other items at border village of Hariya Chak in Hiranagar sector, which had been abandoned by the militants there after infiltration from Pakistan to wear Army dresses and boots. The track suits and shoes had been hidden after digging land at Hariya Chak Nursery.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the militants after their infiltration from Pakistan and changing dresses at Hariya Chak Nursery on Thursday segregated there in two groups (two each), one of which struck yesterday at Rajbagh police station in Kathua district and another at the Army camp in Samba district today. While the group of two militants that struck at Rajbagh yesterday had used a bike, auto and Mahindra Carrier covering more than 25 kilometers distance to reach Rajbagh, the group that tried to target the Army camp today trekked distance of nearly 30 kilometers on foot to reach Mahesar, about four kilometers from Samba district.
“The fact that the militants managed to cover such a long distance to reach Mahesar Army camp, located right on Jammu-Pathankot National Highway despite “alertness” after yesterday’s attack, clearly indicated complete slackness on part of police and other security and Intelligence agencies to check free movement of the militants in the border areas and the National Highway,” sources said.
They pointed out that recovery of Pakistan made four track suits (blue colored) and an equal number of pairs of shoes besides a cap from Hariya Chak Nursery this afternoon clearly indicated that the militants had infiltration from the surrounding Nullahs there along the International Border. They had brought Army fatigues with them, which they changed after abandoning wet track suits at Hariya Chak to set out on the missions assigned to them.
“The militants seem to have deliberately separated themselves in the groups of two each. While one group immediately set out on the task, the other group reportedly hid themselves somewhere on the border and trekked the route last night to reach Mahesar. Unlike yesterday’s attack when the militants used bike, auto and Mahindra Carrier to reach Rajbagh police station, the second group appeared to have covered the distance of nearly 30 kilometers on foot to reach Mahesar,” sources said, adding that “so far no vehicle operator has come forward to report use of his vehicle by the militants to reach Mahesar, which indicated that they trekked entire distance on foot despite alert sounded by all security agencies and police after yesterday’s attack at Rajbagh.
The militants killed today were also carrying a lunch box with them indicating that they had taken food overnight while no such box or food items were found in possession of the militants killed yesterday.
Brigadier RS Rana told the reporters this afternoon after completion of the encounter that two militants opened firing outside Army camp at 5.45 am today but the alert Sentry immediately retaliated and alerted the troops inside the camp. He said due to alertness of the troops, the militants were not allowed to enter inside the Army Cantonment and they continued firing from a civilian building.
Brigadier Rana said there were no casualties of the Army or civilians in firing by the militants or cross-firing and a civilian, who was injured outside the Army area had fallen from the bicycle.
“A large quantity of arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants,” he said but declined to confirm identity of the militants. He said he couldn’t say as to whether the militants were Pakistanis or belonged to Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).
The Army officer said Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) of the Army immediately swung into action and cordoned off entire Army area to prevent entry of the militants inside. The militants were gunned down by the brave soldiers of the Army.
“Samba is nearest from the International Border. It looks like the militants had come from Pakistan but we can’t say whether it’s fresh infiltration,” Brig Rana said.
Lauding the role of Special Army Forces, who conducted operation against the militants, the Army officer declined to comment on the route used by the militants to reach Mahesar.
According to sources, one militant had been killed around 9 am while his colleague was killed before noon after nearly five to six hours long gun fight. Both the militants were in combat dresses and equipped with large quantity of arms, ammunition and explosive material.
Sources said during the gun fight, the militants lobbed several grenades and resorted to firing with automatic weapons in their determined bid to enter the Army camp. However, alert troops thwarted designs of the militants and eliminated them.
Army displayed bodies of both slain militants and recoveries  made from them at their camp after the operation was over. Even after two militants were killed, Army continued search and cordon operations in the areas.
A civilian Pappu son of Mahadev Prasad, a resident of Ferozabad in Uttar Pradesh, who was on way to Katra for pilgrimage of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi ji shrine from UP on bicycle along with his group, fell down from the cycle when the militants opened firing and was injured. However, he hadn’t sustained bullet injuries but injured due to fall. He has been admitted in the Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu.
Recoveries made from the possession of slain militants included two AK-47 rifles (one of them with Grenade Launcher), 12 AK magazines, 13 hand grenades, two UBGL grenades, one Chinese pistol, 298 AK-47 rounds, 38 pistol rounds, two daggers, one floating water bag, two haversacks, two tiffin boxes, two syringe needles, one mobile card, one wrist watch, Cello tape in black color, two pairs of hand gloves, two pencil cells, one torch and one pair of socks.
Authorities once again suspended traffic on Jammu-Pathankot National Highway immediately after getting report of the fidayeen attack to avoid civilian casualties. Large number of vehicles were stranded on either side of the highway, which included pilgrim vehicles heading towards Katra, the base camp of Mata Vaishno Devi ji shrine.
Pilgrims faced tough time spending in the vehicles for hours together. Traffic was restored only after the operation was completed with killing of all militants.
With today’s killing of two militants, the toll in two fidayeen attacks in past two days at Rajbagh police station and Mahesar has reached nine including four militants. Five others included two CRPF jawans, an equal number of civilians and a police constable.
The militants had struck Mahesar earlier also on September 26, 2013 and killed three soldiers including Lt Col Bikramjeet Singh before being eliminated. Prior to Mahesar attack, they had targeted Hiranagar police station and killed four police personnel and two civilians.
Senior police officers from Jammu and Samba reached the spot. Anti-Fidayeen Squad from Jammu led by SP Dushyant Sharma also reached Samba.

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