In a first terror attack on Army in Jammu & Kashmir three days after Indian Special Forces conducted surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), terrorists targeted 46 Rashtriya Rifles Army camp on the outskirts of Baramulla town late on Sunday night.
At least one BSF jawan was martyred in the “fidayeen” (suicide) attack and two terrorists were gunned down, sources told The Pioneer. Official confirmation could not be received till going to Press.
Personnel of the border guarding force BSF, which is under the operational command of the Army in this area, jointly stay in the camp with the soldiers, they said.
Spokesman for Srinagar-based XV corps Colonel Rajesh Kalia said terrorists fired at an Army camp at Jabanzpora in Baramulla and the firing was still on. The camp is located 54 kms from Srinagar.
Reports said terrorists attacked the camp about 10.30 pm, first hurling grenades and then opening fire.
The Jammu & Kashmir Police said the attackers were immediately engaged by security forces. Sources said there was some firing from adjacent houses located near the camp. Involvement of four to six terrorists was suspected in the attack, they added.
The terrorists were reportedly throwing grenades at the camp and they tried to enter the Army camp through a public park nearby.
Exchange of fire is going on from both sides and the area has been cordoned off.
The attack came barely a fortnight after the terror assault on the Uri Army base which claimed lives of 19 soldiers. The Indian Army carried out retaliatory surgical strikes on terrorist launch pads early Thursday in PoK and there were apprehensions about possible suicide attacks on defence installations ever since.
Meanwhile, the Pakistani troops violated ceasefire along the loC in Pallanwala sector of Jammu district on Sunday evening.
“Firing and shelling from across loC has started at 19.15 hours in forward areas in Pallanwala belt along the loC. It is intermittently going on,” a Police officer told PTI.
He said it was not yet known if there was any causality. This is the sixth ceasefire violation since Indian Army’s surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
On Saturday, Pakistani troops shelled Indian posts and civilian areas with mortar bombs, rocket-propelled grenades (RPG) and heavy machine guns (HMG) amid small arms firing along loC in positions along loC in Pallanwala and Chhamb areas.