Yogesh Sagotra
Jammu, Apr 22: Two Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) fidayeen and a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officer were killed during a fierce gun battle near Sunjwan military station in Jammu Friday.
The encounter took place just two days ahead of the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the region. Police said that Jaish men were wearing fidayeen vests and their plan was to carry out a major strike to sabotage the PM’s April 24 rally in Samba district.
Talking to reporters, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Jammu region, Mukesh Singh said that two militants were killed while a security officer lost his life and four others were injured in the encounter.
“Given the nature of arms and ammunition recovered from the slain which includes satellite phones and crucial documents, it seems the slain were planning a fidayeen strike,” Singh said.
The encounter started after security forces launched an operation near Jallabad area of Sunjwan near cantonment in Jammu city at around 3:30 am.
The CISF in a statement said that a bus carrying 15 Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel were attacked by militants near Chaddha Camp in Jammu.
According to a senior CISF officer, the attack happened around 4.25 AM, while the bus was en route for the morning shift duties.
“CISF averted the attack, retaliated effectively, and made the militants run away,” said a senior CISF officer.
“In the line of action, one Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) of CISF lost his life and four others were injured,” he added.
Speaking to reporters at the site of encounter, J&K’s Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh said that two militants killed in Sunjwan, Jammu encounter were wearing fidayeen vests and were tasked to carry out major suicide strike to sabotage the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendera Modi.
He said both the slain belong to Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit and were part of fresh infiltration bid. Talking to reporters at the site of the encounter, the DGP Singh, said that late last night, acting on an information about the presence of militants in Sunjwan area of Jammu, a cordon was laid by the police and CISF personnel. “The militants fired indiscriminately at the security forces in which one ASI of CISF succumbed while four others sustained injuries. The slain ASI of CISF has been identified as S P Patil,” he said.
The DGP Singh said that both the slain fidayeen are foreigners and they were wearing “fidayeen vests”. “Both were tasked to either target a security camp or to engage large number of security forces to inflict maximum casualties,” he said.
The DGP said that it seems that the major aim of the two slain fidayeen was to sabotage the PM’s upcoming rally at Samba on April 24. “But timely action by our alert forces have foiled the bid,” he said.
The said that from the possession of the slain duo, three AK-47 rifles, grenades, magazines, eatables, medicines, energy drinks etc were recovered, which are normally found in fidayeen. He said as of now there are no inputs to suggest that the slain were planning to attack the PM’s upcoming rally at Samba on April 24. Asked whether there was possibility of any other militant in the area, the DGP said that as of now it seems that only two militants were present in the area. “Since they had no old history, it seems they had infiltrated recently just to carry out a big strike,” he said.
Meanwhile, BJP J&K chief Ravinder Raina while speaking to reporters praised the J&K police and CISF for killing the two fidayeen. “The PM’s rally will be held and there will be more participation of people than expected,” he said.
