adminSrinagar — Suspected militants dressed in army fatigues attacked a police station and an army barracks in India’s Jammu and Kashmir state yesterday, killing 10 people, and casting a shadow on talks scheduled between the prime ministers of India and Pakistan.
Two of the militants were killed during an exchange of fire when they attacked the army camp, NDTV news channel reported.
Three or four gunmen attacked Hiranagar police station in the Kathua district of Jammu region early yesterday, said Rajesh Kumar, inspector general of police in the Jammu region.
Kumar said four police officers were killed in the station, located about 1km away from the border with Pakistan. The rebels escaped in a truck to an army barracks about 20km away in Samba district.
They entered the army camp mess and killed four army personnel including an officer, NDTV reported.
A gun-battle was ongoing at the army barracks, Kumar said.
Two civilians were killed and at least a dozen people were injured in the two attacks, NDTV reported.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the timing and location of the “terrorist attacks” indicated they were aimed at derailing talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif.
The two leaders are scheduled to meet in New York on Sunday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting.
Singh, who is en route to New York, described the attacks as cowardly. “This is one more in a series of provocations and barbaric actions by the enemies of peace,” Singh said in a statement.
“We are firmly resolved to combat and defeat the terrorist menace that continues to receive encouragement and reinforcement from across the border.” — AFP
Online Reporter