NIA may take over case, militants spotted a day before also
JeM cadre may have crossed LoC few days back
Will deal with terrorists in befitting manner: LG
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 11: In second fidayeen attack in less than four months, two militants, believed to be Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) cadre from Pakistan, attacked an Army camp at village Parghal, about nine kilometres from Darhal, in Rajouri district of Jammu region around 2 am today killing four soldiers including a Subedar and wounding two others, one of them a Major, before being eliminated by the troops in four-hour long gun battle.
The militants, who were in combat dresses, were spotted behind Darhal Bus Stand on Tuesday evening but escaped before arrival of police on spot. Searches were being conducted at different places by police and security forces in anticipation of movement of the militants but they remained untraced.
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Officials said they were trying to ascertain whether the militants crossed Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri to reach Darhal or took Pir Panjal range from South Kashmir for carrying out the attack. With National Investigation Agency (NIA) teams visiting the spot, there were indications that the fidayeen attack might be handed over to the agency.
Sunjuwan fidayeen attack on outskirts of Jammu on April 22 this year just two days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Palli Panchayat in Samba district has already been handed over to the NIA. In this attack, one CISF ASI was martyred and 14 other jawans were injured while both the fidayeen, who had infiltrated from the International Border near Samba, were eliminated by the troops.
Reports said the fidayeen appeared at the Army Camp of 11 Raj Rifles at Parghal Post, about nine kilometres from Darhal in Rajouri district at 2.10 am with a view to repeat Uri-like attack but as soon as they lobbed a grenade to breach the fence, alert troops challenged them leading to an encounter.
— Excelsior / Gafoor Bhat
The militants, however, managed to gain entry inside the camp due to extreme hostile weather conditions and engaged troops in the firing. They heavily fired using steel core bullets. In the gun battle, three bravehearts of Army were martyred while three others were injured. Both the militants were gunned down in subsequent retaliation by the Army personnel. Another injured soldier breathed his last in the hospital.
Last shot was heard around 6.10 am.
The fallen soldiers have been identified as Subedar Rajendra Prasad, a resident of village Maligoven Kashmipura in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan, Rifleman Lakshmanan D R/o village T Pudupatto Thummakundi in Madurai district of Tamil Nadu, Rifleman Manoj Kumar, resident of village Shahjahanpur Chandpur in Faridabad district of Haryana and Rifleman Nishant Malik of Adarsh Nagar Hansi in Hissar district of Haryana.
Two injured include an Army Major Hemant and Subedar Rajendra Prasad. They have been admitted in the Command Hospital Udhampur.
A large quantity of arms, ammunition and explosives including two AK rifles were recovered from the possession of slain militants.
Locals said two suspects were spotted by two police personnel on patrol party on back side of Darhal Bus Stand late Tuesday evening and they confronted them. The suspects described them as the Army personnel as they were wearing combat dresses.
However, on becoming doubtful, the cops sounded their seniors who reached the spot with Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) but by then they had managed to escape.
Officials believed that slain militants and the suspects were same which means they had managed to reach Darhal couple of days back and taken shelter somewhere before carrying out the fidayeen attack.
However, all this is part of investigations and there were indications that the NIA might take over the case from police.
“The LoC is also about 30 kilometres from Darhal in Rajouri sector. More possibility is that they crossed the LoC and took mountainous route to reach Darhal. However, there were also chances that they might have been sent by Jaish commanders from South Kashmir to carry out the attack,” sources said.
“The Indian Army salutes the bravehearts for their supreme sacrifice in line of duty, upholding the highest tradition of the force. The nation will always remain indebted to them for their supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty,” an Army spokesman said.
Additional Director General of Police Mukesh Singh, who heads the Jammu zone, said more forces were sent to the Army camp from the Darhal police station. He said a search and combing operation was underway.
Security forces and the police had been put on alert following intelligence inputs on suspected movement of militants in the Rajouri belt, prompting them to launch a combing operation in Darhal and Nowshera belt on Wednesday.
On May 8, a militant was killed as the Army foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Laam area of 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 Kashmir valley. They arrested five members of two terror modules including Talib Hussain who was captured alive by the people in hilly areas of Mahore in Reasi district.
Officials said there was an Intelligence input about the presence of militants from the JeM in the region and police and other security agencies were carrying out operations in various parts of the district.
Security forces and the police had been put on alert following intelligence inputs on suspected movement of militants in the Rajouri belt, prompting them to launch a combing operation in Darhal and Nowshera belt on Wednesday.
Police had inputs about the movement of militants and a cordon and search operation was going on since yesterday. There were also inputs regarding such movements in Thannamandi, Kandi Budhal and border areas too.
Asked whether the pattern of militants to engineer a ‘fidayeen’ attack was similar to the Uri strike, officials said ‘fidayeen’ are meant to cause major casualties. In 2016, 4 JeM militants attacked a Brigade Headquarters of the Army near the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri killing 19 soldiers.
“They wanted to do it here too. But troops bravely fought and neutralised and did not allow them to reach the barracks. They were neutralised before reaching these places,’’ officials said.
They said the intruders appear to be foreign militants but investigations will give further leads.
“After investigations, we can also say whether the attack was carried out by a recently infiltrated group of militants,’’ they said.
“We cannot rule out the presence of other militants in Rajouri. We are exercising alertness. Cordon and search operations are going on in the areas,” they added.
Meanwhile, People’s Anti-Fascist Front has reportedly claimed responsibility for the terror attack.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha condemned the attack and vowed to deal with terrorists and their supporters in a befitting manner.
In a tweet, he said, “Strongly condemn despicable terrorist attack in Rajouri; tribute to brave soldiers who made supreme sacrifice. Heartfelt condolences to the families of the bravehearts martyred in the attack. We shall deal with evil designs of terrorists and their backers in a befitting manner.”
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