The slain include 2 CRPF men, cop and civilian besides 2 militants
JAMMU/KATHUA: In the first attack of its kind after PDP-BJP government took over in the state, three government force personnel and a civilian were killed on Friday when two heavily-armed militants attacked a police station in Kathua district of Jammu divsion.
Two attackers were also gunned down following several hours of siege after the duo barged inside the station building, sparking panic that led the administration to cancel all examinations and close down schools in the district.
Official sources said that the attackers stormed the Rajbagh Police Station in the district at around 6 A.M. The police station is located barely 15 kilometers from the International Border.
Giving details police sources said that the militants in Army fatigues stormed police station during the wee hours on Friday. The militants, two in number, arrived there in a Mahindra vehicle and as soon as they reached near the gate of police station, one of them directly fired upon a sentry on duty in the head, killing him on the spot. The militants then barged inside firing indiscriminately, they said.
Police sources said earlier militants, in Army uniforms, intercepted a jeep going from Jammu to Pathankot on the pretext of checking it.
They then forced the driver and two others out and reportedly hijacked the jeep and rushed towards the Rajbagh Police Station. The militants then hurled grenades at the police station and opened indiscriminate fire.
Soon after the incident, additional reinforcement including army, CRPF and Police reached to the encounter site and cordoned off the area. Choppers were pressed into service to nab and eliminate the militants.
After about seven hours of the battle, the attackers were eliminated by the joint team of forces.
During the attack three force personnel, including two CRPF men and a police constable, were killed, officials said, adding that nine persons including six CRPF men, a policeman and a civilian also suffered injuries in the attack.
The injured have been identified as head constable Bhagwan Singh, constable Jankar Parkash, constable Bharat Pushti, constable Mohan Lal, constable Raj Babar, constable Parveen Kumar of CRPF 121 Bn E Coy, JKP constable Adiyiya Sharma and a civilian Lakhbir Singh son of Roop Singh.
All the injured have been admitted in district hospital Kathua for treatment.
Official sources that the attackers could be a new group of infiltrators who may have crossed the border last night.
They said that the attackers came in two Mahindra vehicles and later entered into the police station building after killing sentry.
Security has been beefed up across the Jammu division following the attack and all the routes in the district connecting other parts have been sealed, a senior police official said.
The traffic on the highway was also halted by authorities for several hours soon after the attack.
Inspector General of Police Danish Rana while confirming the death of the two militants said the other dead were a policeman, two CRPF personnel and a civilian.
The injured included seven CRPF men, a deputy superintendent of police, a police constable and a civilian, Rana added.
The deputy superintendent was identified as Diwakar Singh, who sustained a bullet injury on his shoulder.
The injured were hurriedly shifted to Jammu for treatment.
Inspector General of Police Jammu Zone Disnesh Rana said that, we are clearing the area, verifying the facts and will examine the documents we have recovered from militants.
On 26 September 2013, twelve people were killed when militants attacked Hiranagar police station in the same Kathua district and then entered an army camp on the Jammu-Pathankot highway.
The dead included four policemen and a lieutenant colonel of the Army.
Meanwhile, in wake of the attack district authorities in Kathua postponed all exams and ordered closure of all the schools throughout the district on Friday.
The attack rocked the state assembly. Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh made a statement in the house.
In the Lok Sabha, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said: “We share the grief of the families of the police officers and the civilian killed by the militants.”
Kathua attack rocks Assembly
JAMMU: The early morning militant attack in Kathua district rocked the Assembly on Friday with opposition members seeking an explanation from the government on the incident.
The issue was raised by National Conference MLA Devender Singh Rana who wanted to know about the steps being taken by the government to thwart the attack.
“The House wants to know how the militant attack took place, how the militants were able to launch this attack,” Rana said.
Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh informed the House that two or three heavily armed militants managed to enter the Rajpora Police station in Kathua and were holed up in the police station.
“Police and CRPF have cordoned off the area and heavy firing is going on. A man has died and we are not sure if he is a civilian or a CRPF personnel. Ten people have been injured which include two policemen, seven CRPF men while one civilian and a policeman have been seriously injured,” he said.
Opposition National Conference and Congress termed the answer “unsatisfactory”.
“What are you saying that you don’t know that the man who has died can be either a civilian or a CRPF personnel. The government should have the information,” said Rana.
National Conference leader Ali Mohammed Sagar said, “People are dying and you have no information.”
While condemning the attack CPI (M) legislator M Y Tarigami said that the House needs to show a united face in condemning such tragedies and expressed sympathy with the family of those killed in the attack.
“It’s a tragedy and it should be debated here. The House needs to know what steps the government will take and has taken. Let’s not get divided on the tragedy. Such tragedies are unfortunate and we should speak in one voice and condemn it,” Tarigami said.
Raising hue and cry and demanding answer from the government about the militant attack, Congress legislators amid slogans staged a walk out.
Attacks demonstrates our determination: Hizb
Srinagar: Militant outfit Hizbul Mujhideen chief Syed Salahudin Friday said that the attack on a police station in Kathua makes it clear that the morale of the Mujhadeen are high and they are capable of dousing the haughtiness and pride of India. He said that militants are ready to shed their last drop of till freedom is not attained from India.
In a statement to CNS, spokesperson UJC Syed Sadaqat Hussain while quoting Syed Salahudin said that the UJC Chief stated that Mujhadeen will work shoulder to shoulder with the freedom loving people of Kashmir till the freedom struggle is not taken to logical conclusion.
Paying rich tribute to the slain militants, Syed Salahudin reiterated that nobody will be allowed to compromise on the blood of the Mujahideen. Observer News Service
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