Militants attack police station in Jammu, 2 dead, 9 injured; Centre ’monitoring situation

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Jammu, Mar 20, 2015: At least one policemen was killed and nine others were seriously injured when a group of Pakistan-supported militants, armed with automatic weapons and grenades, attacked a police station in Kathua district of Jammu region on Friday morning.

 

According to reports, heavy gunfight is still on in the area to neutralise the militants, who are holed up inside the police station.

"Militants wearing military uniforms used automatic weapons and hurled grenades at Rajbagh police station in Kathua district this morning," a senior police officer told reporters.

According to latest update, at least 9 people - 7 from CRPF, one policeman and one civilian – have been injured in the attack. The death of one policeman has been confirmed. However, some media channels also reported the death of two policemen in the attack.

Additional reinforcements have been rushed to the spot.

Latest reports said the militants have entered the police station, 65 kms from here on the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway.

Traffic on the strategic Jammu-Pathankote National Highway has been stopped due to the terror attack. A high alert has been sounded in schools and colleges in the region. 


The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is also closely monitoring the situation.

HM spoke to the DGP of J&K and the heads of other security agencies regrading the terrorist attack in Kathua district.

Acting on the instructions from the Home Ministry, the Home Secretary also spoke to Jammu and Kashmir DGP about the attack at Rajbagh police station in Kathua and sought details about the incident. 

Former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah also took to Twitter to confirm the terror attack in the Kathua locality. Omar alleged repetition of the past pattern, saying the terrorists would have walked from across the border last night and launched the attack.

This is a planned attack to create confusion, our police forces won’t let them go, SR Sinho, defence expert said while reacting to the Kathua terror attack.

At least twelve people were killed on September 26, 2013 when guerrillas had attacked Hiranagar police station in Kathua district in a similar manner and later entered an Army camp on the Jammu-Pathankote National Highway.

With IANS inputs