Terror attackers were controlled from across the border
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 12: In a stern warning that indicated “imminent retaliatory action’’ against Pakistan by the Army in the wake of Sunjuwan terror attack, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today declared that Pakistan will have to pay for this misadventure even as she asserted that the attackers were being controlled by their handlers from across the border and also indicated that they enjoyed “local support’’ here in carrying out the attack.
“Pakistan will have to pay for this adventure,’’ she repeated twice during brief media-interaction at Tigers Division late this evening after flying over Sunjuwan Military Station for aerial supervision of the encounter site, meeting Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and visiting Military Hospital, Satwari to inquire condition of the injured. She returned to the Union capital late tonight.
Click here to watch video
Flanked by General Officer Commanding (GOC) 9 Corps Lt Gen YVK Mohan, whose Corps headquartered at Yol Cantonment commands Jammu, Samba and Kathua border districts, Sitharaman, however, declined to set timeline for making Pakistan to pay for the misadventure.
“I won’t set the timeline but Pakistan will have to pay for this. Giving evidence to Pakistan for all attacks including dossiers after dossiers doesn’t deny us the right to respond befittingly. Giving evidences to Pakistan will strengthen our arguments,’’ she said, responding to a question that whether the Government of India will once again give evidence to Pakistan on its involvement in Sunjuwan terror attack notwithstanding the fact that Pakistan hasn’t acted on previous such dossiers given on Mumbai, Pathankote and other such terror strikes.
Sitharaman maintained that handing over evidence to Pakistan has to be a continuous process though they haven’t acted on previous dossiers.
“All evidence will be compiled and in coordination with Ministries of Home and External Affairs, they will be given to Pakistan. The Mumbai masterminds are free and roaming happily in Pakistan. The handlers are back and influencing the terrorists,’’ she said in an apparent reference to free movement of Hafiz Saeed and Zakir-ur-Rehman Lakhvi in Pakistan.
She, however, didn’t comment on a question as to whether India would conduct ‘Surgical Strikes 2’ on Pakistan.
Directly blaming Pakistan for Sunjuwan terror attack in which five Army soldiers, a civilian and three fidayeens were killed, the Defence Minister, who reached here this afternoon and flew over Sunjuwan Military Station for aerial surveillance of the operations, said: “our Intelligence inputs indicated that these terror attackers were being controlled by their handlers from across the border. The evidence is being scrutinized by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which will soon furnish a detailed report’’.
Sitharaman dropped enough hints of “local support’’ to the militants.
“The demography of the Cantonment, which was attacked by the militants and adjoining area, indicated the possibility of local support to the terrorists. The Jaish-e-Mohammed module, which conducted the attack may have infiltrated sometime back and there is a possibility of them having enjoyed local support before the final operation,’’ Sitharaman said.
To a specific question whether Rohingyas, who have been settled in a locality close to Sunjuwan Military Station, the Defence Minister didn’t give a categorical reply but said all evidences will be shared with Jammu and Kashmir Police. “Army has very good coordination with Jammu and Kashmir Police. We will be sharing every information we have, with the police’’.
She disclosed that the operation was called off at 10.30 am today though sanitization and related operations continued. She added: “it is likely that the fourth terrorist was a guide and may not have entered the premises’’.
“We will continue to thwart any attempt by Pakistan sponsored terrorists to cause violence in our country,” she said.
The Defence Minister, who had half an hour long meeting with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, was posed a couple of questions on Mehbooba’s repeated demands for dialogue with Pakistan at a time when the neighbouring country continued to sponsor terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
To this, Sitharaman said: “I met Mehbooba Ji. She expressed deep anguish and concern over the killings in terror attack. She too visited the Military Hospital to inquire condition of the injured and was emotionally charged. I shared grief with her. We discussed few things’’.
On registration of FIR against Army in Shopian incident and mentioning of Major Aditya’s name in it and whether the FIR was registered with her consent as Mehbooba had spoken to her, Nirmala Sitharaman said the matter was sub-judice as the Supreme Court today issued notices but added that the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and the Defence Ministy fully stand by Army and “we won’t let Army down’’.
Responding to another question on whether situation has improved or deteriorated in Jammu and Kashmir, Sitharaman said: “there is an elected Government in place in the State. New Delhi and J&K Government have to work together for restoration of peace’’.
As far as Army is concerned, she said, Army is fighting enemy and was engaged in severe struggle. Everyone was conscious of Army’s role, she added.
On amnesty extended to stone pelters, she said first time offenders have been given amnesty and she was aware of it.
“I can assure people of Jammu and Kashmir and entire country that Army, State Government and Centre, all are looking the issue through seriousness,’’ she remarked.
On constructions around Army installations, the Defence Minister said this problem was not confined to Jammu and Kashmir but also in other parts of the country.
“We are facing problems. Just around peripheral walls of Army installations, the civil constructions have come up. It’s tough to remove them as some of them have permissions. We are studying the problem,’’ she added.
Sitharaman said that the Central Government is undertaking measures in procuring modern electronic surveillance systems for the Army.
“Although, the terrain configuration and snow conditions make it difficult to completely stop the infiltration, the Government is undertaking a host of measures in procuring modern electronic surveillance systems to implement the Philip Campose Committee Report which was instituted to review the security of all military installations for which a sum of Rs 1487 crores has been allocated,” she said.
She added: “with a view to enhance alertness along the borders, additional sensors, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and long range surveillance devices have already been deployed to cover the entire frontage of the Line of Control”.
She said the terrorists, sponsored by Azhar Masood in Pakistan, chose to attack a military station which houses both troops and their families.
The cantonment is located on the outskirts of Jammu, approximately 30 km from the International Boundary in a semi-urbanised environment with a densely populated civilian locality, she said.
“The demography of the cantonment and adjoining areas indicate the possibility of local support to the terrorists and an alert had been sounded on the likelihood of an attack by the terrorists around this period,” she said.
The Defence Minister said that Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) were deployed in vulnerable areas. It was assessed that Pak-sponsored terrorists may target softer elements, hence, QRTs were also positioned at Sunjuwan family quarters, she said.
Sitharaman said the intrusions of the terrorists was promptly detected by the sentry and challenged by a nearby QRT leading to the brief exchange of fire.
“This immediate action forced terrorists to split into individual positions and prevented a coordinated strike. The scattered terrorists reached the family quarters and occupied some of the blocks,” she said.
They were isolated, and since the terrorists were dressed in battle fatigues, and had an appearance similar to their possible victims, the operation had to be done “deliberately slow” to avoid collateral damages, she said.
“The operation entailed the deliberate search of 26 blocks and safe evacuation of families from 189 flats which was time consuming and a challenging task”, she said.
This was successfully achieved with no fatal casualties to our troops.
“Six fatal casualties, including a civilian, were caused by the terrorists due to their firing on unarmed service personnel and their dependents during the initial seizing of the residential quarters in an attempt to gain forceful entry into the family quarters,” she said.
The Defence Minister said three terrorists were eliminated although there was information of four terrorists in the area.
She expressed deepest condolences on the loss of lives of the brave soldiers and their families during the dastardly attack on unarmed soldiers and assured the nation that their sacrifice would not go in vain.
“I compliment the valour of our brave soldiers who carried out this operation with precision and professionalism.
Earlier in the day, Sitharaman visited those injured in the terror strike at a Military Hospital here. The Defence Minister then met Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. Sitharaman was briefed on the security situation in the wake of the Sunjuwan terror attack, officials said.
On her arrival here, the Defence Minister flew over Sunjuwan Military Station for aerial survey of the terror attack site. She was briefed on details of the encounter by GOC 9 Corps Lt Gen YVK Mohan and other top Commanders of the Army.
She had half-an-hour long meeting with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti during which security situation in Jammu and Kashmir was reviewed in detail and steps required for improvement of the situation were discussed.
She visited Military Hospital, Satwari and inquired condition of the persons injured in Sunjuwan terror attack.
With Sunjuwan operation declared over, barring sanitization part, a total of six persons including five Army personnel and a civilian, who happened to be father of a soldier, were martyred while 10 others were injured. All three fidayeens have been eliminated.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
