J&K terror attacks: 13 killed ahead of Manmohan-Sharif talks

Zee Media Bureau/Himanshu Kapoor

Jammu: All three terrorists who were involved in the twin terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir were killed in fierce gunfight as the Army operation in the Samba district ended on Thursday. In the attack, 10 people were killed, including four policemen and an army officer. The attack occurred only three days ahead of a meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif. Three heavily armed terrorists, dressed in army uniform, sneaked into the Jammu region from across the border on Thursday morning stormed a police station and then an army camp. The attackers, believed to be from banned Pakistan-based terror group LeT, were holed up in the camp of the cavalry armoured unit at Samba after attacking Hira Nagar police station in Kathua district of Jammu. Also Read: J&K terror attack: As it happened Army has said that all three terrorists bodies, aged between 16 and 19, are in its custody, while the possibility of a fourth terrorist has been ruled out. Meanwhile, Shohada Brigade terror group has claimed that responsibility for the twin attacks. Sami-ul-Haq, spokesperson of the group told over the phone, “We carried out the attacks in Kathua and Samba.” Also Read: J&K attack: Red alert sounded in Jammu region Lt Col Bikramjeet Singh, the second-in-command of the unit stationed at the camp, was among the four slain Army personnel. Manmohan Singh termed the attack as a provocative and barbaric action by enemies of peace, and asserted that India will defeat such forces who receive encouragement from across the border and it will not allow them to derail the dialogue process. DGP Ashok Prasad said that the terrorists took and autorickshaw from Hariya Chuk graveyard in village Jhandi at gun-point and asked the driver to take them to Army camp at Hiranagar. As the attackers were unable to find the camp, they stormed the police station at 6.45 am and hurled grenades where they killed a sentry at the gate and then an ASI Ratan Singh and a Special Police Officer. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met family members of the security personnel killed in the attack and shared their grief, besides paying tribute to the martyrs.