Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said Indian security forces had thwarted a terror attack by eliminating four militants from the Jaish-e-Mohammed group.
The prime minister reportedly held a review meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and other officials over a gunfight in Nagrota. The four suspects, who were hiding in a truck, were killed after a three-hour gunfight with security personnel on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway near Nagrota on Thursday morning.
“Neutralising of four terrorists belonging to Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed and the presence of large cache of weapons and explosives with them indicates that their efforts to wreak major havoc and destruction have once again been thwarted,” the prime minister said in a tweet.
Modi added that the security forces’ action was an example of the “utmost bravery” and professionalism. “Thanks to their alertness, they have defeated a nefarious plot to target grassroots level democratic exercises in Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.
Reports citing government sources said that the suspected militants were planning an attack on the anniversary of the November 26 Mumbai attacks. At least 166 people were killed in the attacks, that began on November 26, 2008, in various parts of South Mumbai, including the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus station, the Taj Mahal Hotel and Chabad House.
Thursday’s gunfight reportedly began when the suspected militants threw a grenade on security personnel during checking at a toll plaza around 5 am. Personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force deployed at Ban Toll Plaza retaliated and killed two militants when they were trying to jump out of the truck to take position, the police said.
The police had recovered 11 AK-47 rifles, three pistols, 29 grenades and other devices. Inspector General of Police, Jammu Zone, Mukesh Singh, said that the police had been receiving inputs about possible infiltrations, since the process for the District Development Council election began. The first-ever DDC elections in the region will be held in eight phases from November 28.
Thursday’s attempted attack took place hours after at least 12 civilians were injured in a grenade attack as suspected militants attempted to target security forces in Kakapora area of Pulwama district on Wednesday. The grenade reportedly missed the intended target and exploded on a street.
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