Para commandos of the Indian Air Force (IAF) have been airlifted to from Udhampur to flush out the group of four-to-five heavily armed militants, who stormed an army camp in Jammu early Saturday, officials said.
According to reports, the IAF para commandos have been airlifted to Jammu while another aircraft will bring in more commandos from Sarsawa.
Meanwhile, an army soldier has died in the attack while Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has spoken to the Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police to take stock of the situation.
The soldier sustained grave injuries as the group of heavily armed militants hurled grenades and used heavy volume of automatic gunfire as they entered from the rear side of Sunjuwan Military Station where family quarters are located, police said.
At least four people, including an Army personnel’s daughter, have been injured in the attack, officials said.
J-K DGP SP Vaid has briefed the home minister about the counter operations launched by the security forces while Rajnath has directed officials of the Home Ministry to look into the matter.
The home minister is monitoring the situation closely, officials said.
A total of three terrorists are believed to have entered the army station and a fierce gunbattle between the militants and the security personnel is on.
IGP SD Singh Jamwal told reporters here that “around 4:55 am suspicious movement was noticed by the sentry and his bunker was fired upon. The fire was retaliated. The number of militants isn’t known. They’ve been cornered in one of the family quarters.”
Security forces and police have cordoned off the area around the Sunjwan Army camp.The camp falls under the first Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry in 36 Brigade.
Soon after the attack, reinforcements of the Army s special forces and SOG rushed to the spot and cordoned off the whole area amid a fierce gunfight, security official said.
Schools in the entire area around the camp have been closed by authorities as a precautionary measure.
A high alert has been sounded in Jammu and security beefed up in and around the city.
Intelligence inputs had warned of an attack on the Army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of Afzal Guru who was hanged on February 9, 2013.
Militants had attacked the same army station in 2006. Twelve soldiers were killed and seven others were injured in that attack before the two ‘fidayeen’ (suicide) terrorists were killed.
(With inputs from agencies)