terrorist attack in kathua
Kathua Terror Attack: Five soldiers, including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), were martyred and five others were injured in an ambush by terrorists on an army truck in Machedi area of Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. An extensive search operation is being carried out to search for the terrorists. Security personnel are deployed at every nook and corner here. Helicopters and drones are also being used in the operation. Officials said that the terrorists targeted the army vehicle with a grenade and opened fire on it. Officials said that the incident took place around 3.30 pm, when the army vehicle was on regular patrol on Machedi-Kindli-Malhar road near Badnota village in Lohai Malhar, 150 km from Kathua city.
There were 10 soldiers on the army vehicle, 5 martyred
The Army vehicle carrying 10 jawans came under attack. Five jawans were killed in the attack and the remaining five injured have been rushed to Pathankot military hospital for treatment. After the ambush, the terrorists fled into the nearby jungle. The Army retaliated with the help of police and paramilitary personnel. An exchange of fire broke out between the militants and security forces and reinforcements were immediately rushed to the area to neutralise the attackers. The militants are believed to be three in number and are well-armed and had recently infiltrated from across the border.
Kashmir Tigers claimed responsibility for the attack
The Kashmir Tigers, an offshoot of the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) based Pakistan-based group, has claimed responsibility for the attack. This is the second major attack in Kathua district within a month. Before Monday’s attack, two militants were killed and a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan lost his life in similar encounters on June 12 and 13. Officials said a massive search operation was underway despite heavy rains. Director General of Police R R Swain is personally monitoring the anti-terror operation in the dense forest area adjoining Basantgarh in Udhampur district, where several encounters have taken place in the past.
Continuous terrorist incidents in Jammu
This forest area adjoins Basantgarh in Udhampur district. Village Defence Guard Mohammad Sharif was killed in an encounter with militants on April 28 in Panara village of Basantgarh. Officials said it is suspected that the militants used this route to reach the hinterland after infiltrating from across the border. Jammu region, known for its peaceful atmosphere, has been rocked by a series of attacks by militants in recent months. These attacks have taken place in the border districts of Poonch, Rajouri, Doda and Reasi. The recent rise in terror activities is a result of efforts by their Pakistani masters to revive terrorism.
Security agencies on high alert after the attack
Security agencies are on high alert following the recent attack in Gandoh area of Doda district where three foreign militants were killed in an encounter on June 26. An army camp was targeted in Manjakot area of Rajouri district in the firing incident in which a soldier was injured. One of the most tragic incidents took place on June 9 when militants attacked a bus carrying pilgrims from Shiv Khori temple in Reasi district, killing nine people and injuring 41. These incidents underline the trend of increasing violence in the region, with both civilians and security personnel suffering casualties in attacks on security force vehicles, search parties and military convoys.
Three former chief ministers condemned
Three former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir – Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Ghulam Nabi Azad – condemned the terror attack on Army personnel in Kathua district. Abdullah said, “Terrible news from Kathua. It is a very bad day when you lose brave army personnel in the line of duty. I strongly condemn this attack.” Mehbooba Mufti said in a post on Twitter that it is sad and shocking that soldiers are losing their lives in the line of duty in places where there was no trace of terrorism before 2019. Azad said on Twitter, “The rise in terrorism in Jammu province is extremely worrying. The government must take decisive action to deal with terrorism and ensure public safety.” (Bhasha Input)