J&K attack: All three terrorists killed after four-hour gunbattle at Army camp

Jammu, Sep 26: The three terrorists who sneaked into Jammu and Kashmir and killed 10 people today, have been gunned down, the Indian Army has said.

Combing operations are currently on at the Army cantonment in the Samba district where the gunmen were killed after a four-hour-long gunbattle. The bodies of the three terrorists - aged between 16 and 19 - and believed to be from the banned Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba or LeT, are in the custody of the Army, officials said. Police sources have ruled out the possibility of a fourth terrorist.

The terrorists, dressed in army fatigues, today attacked first a police station and then an Army camp in J&K. A Lieutenant Colonel of the Indian Army is among the 10 people killed by them.

The audacious attack comes just three days before the Prime Minister meets his Pakistani counterpart in the US. Dr Manmohan Singh has called it "one more attack and barbarism by enemies of peace" and made it clear that his plans remain unchanged. "We will not allow it to derail our attempts to find resolution through the dialogue process," he said in a statement. (PM says J&K attacks won't derail dialogue with Pak) |

"Four terrorists entered Jammu region from across the border this morning," said Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, quoting preliminary reports, according to PTI. The news agency also quotes the Army as saying that it foiled a major infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Keran sector of Kupwara yesterday and that around 30 militants are still believed to be trapped as security forces have cordoned off the area.

The heavily armed terrorists attacked the Hiranagar police station in Kathua district of J&K at about 6.45 this morning. They shot the sentry outside and three cops inside the police station and then escaped in a truck that they hijacked, to surface in an Army cantonment in the adjoining Samba district. (How terrorists stormed J&K police station, army camp) |

At the camp, they reportedly walked into the officer's mess shouting jihadi slogans and killed at least five unarmed Armymen, including the Lt Col, who was the second in command of the 16 Cavalry, the armoured corp unit attacked today. The Lieutenant Colonel was reportedly shot in the stomach at point back range.

The commanding officer of 16 Cavalry is among over a dozen people injured in the two attacks. He has been shot twice and is in critical condition.

BJP president Rajnath Singh said, "The PM is in a hurry to start dialogue with Pakistan. There should be no talks with Pakistan unless there is a conducive environment." Mr Singh accused Pakistan of "continuing with its strategy to strike at will through a proxy war of terror." (J&K attacks: PM in 'hurry' to start talks with Pak, says BJP)

But Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said the terror attacks today were clearly aimed at derailing the proposed dialogue between the two PMs and that not going ahead with the talks would mean "the militants have won." (Attacks aimed at derailing PM-Nawaz Sharif talks, says Omar Abdullah)

"The best answer is to convey our concerns to Pakistan strongly. What stops us from taking a hard line," Mr Abdullah said.

Related:

J&K terror attacks: PM condemns 'attack on peace', says it won't derail dialogue with Pakistan

Frankfurt, Sep 26: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today condemned the terror attack on army and police camps in Jammu and Kashmir in which 12 people were killed, but said it would not succeed in derailing efforts at peace through dialogue.

"This is one more in a series of provocations and barbaric actions by the enemies of peace. We are firmly resolved to combat and defeat the terrorist menace that continues to receive encouragement and reinforcement from across the border. Such attacks will not deter us and will not succeed in derailing our efforts to find a resolution to our problems through the process of dialogue," said the Prime Minister in a statement from Frankfurt.

The statement confirmed that the summit meeting between the Prime Minister and Nawaz Sharif on Sunday is on track.

Sources say, the dialogue process has a long and well chronicled history of terror strikes stalking its every initiative. Sources are also arguing that the Pakistan PM is a newly elected leader who has made a number of pro India statements that need to be given a chance; most significantly his statement that it's the PM and not the Army Chief who is the Boss. This section of the government believes Sharif's hand should be strengthened against the security establishment in Pakistan.

But its domestic politics and the pressure of public opinion back home that the PM needs to worry about. His Pakistan policy is already seen to be a personal project. The question now is, in election season, will his own party back him. Remember, Sharm-el Sheik.

Related:

Twin militant attacks in J&K, six armymen, 4 cops among 12 killed

Kathua/J&K, Sep 26: In a major fidayeen attack, militants dressed in army fatigues have killed at least 12 people in a police station and an Army cantonment in Jammu and Kashmir this morning. Over a dozen people are injured and more casualties are feared.

The militants first attacked a police station in Hiranagar of Kathua district in Jammu, killing four cops and two civilians. They escaped in a truck that they hijacked after killing the driver and surfaced in an Army cantonment in the adjoining Samba district, where they have reportedly killed at least six Army personnel.

There was reportedly confusion and chaos at the cantonment, which houses and armoured corp unit, as the militants are dressed in Army uniform. They were not stopped at the gate and walked into a mess, where they attacked and killed unarmed soldiers.

The heavily armed militants have now been reportedly identified and surrounded. A gun-battle is on.

The audacious attack comes only a day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh confirmed that he will meet Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the US on the sidelines of a United Nations session. The two leaders are expected to meet on Sunday.

Kashmir watchers say militants tend to step up attacks just before a round of talks between India and Pakistan.

The fidayeen or suicide commandos attacked the Hiranagar police station at about 7 this morning. Shooting at policeman caught unaware, they managed to go up to the roof of the building, from where they lobbed grenades.

Hiranagar in Kathua is about a kilometre from the border with Pakistan and the militants are believed to have infiltrated into India recently.

Intelligence sources said all units in the region had been alerted that a fidayeen group had entered Jammu. This is the first fidayeen attack in the Jammu region of the state in over a decade.