Kathua terror attack: Toll rises to five as another soldier succumbs, para commandos deployed to hunt down attackers

Jammu: Another soldier injured in the terrorist attack on an army convoy in J&K’s Kathua on Monday, succumbed to his injuries in the hospital, taking to five the toll of soldiers killed in the dastardly attack.

An official said a JCO was among the five martyred army soldiers.

Para commandos were airdropped in the area after the terror attack to trace and hunt down the terrorists.

Officials said the terrorists threw a grenade and then opened automatic fire on army vehicles that were on routine patrol duty on Machedi-Kindli-Malhar road in Kathua at 3.30 p.m.

“The attack by terrorists occurred near Badnota village, which is 150 km away from Kathua town,” officials said. Earlier, officials had said the place of the terrorist attack was 52 km away from Kathua town.

The security forces retaliated, but reports indicate that the terrorists escaped from the spot.

“Ten army soldiers were injured in this terrorist attack. The injured were shifted to the hospital where five soldiers succumbed to critical injuries. Five injured soldiers are being treated at the hospital,” an official said

A massive CASO (Cordon & Search Operation) was started in the area.

Officials said that reinforcements have been rushed to the place to augment the strength of the security forces so that the terrorists responsible for the attack are traced.

Monday’s attack is the second major terror-related incident in Kathua district in the past 4 weeks.

Two terrorists and a CRPF jawan were killed in a gunfight during a search and cordon operation on June 12 and June 14 in the Hiranagar area of the district.

A major terror attack on innocent pilgrims occurred on June 9 in the Reasi district of Jammu division in which terrorists fired at a pilgrim bus returning from Shiv-Khori temple.

The terrorists killed the driver of the bus and kept firing at the bus after it fell into a gorge. Nine pilgrims were killed in that attack and 44 others were injured.

J&K DGP, R.R.Swain has said that a group of foreign terrorists is active in the hilly Poonch, Rajouri and adjacent districts who are taking advantage of the terrain and remoteness of the area.

Security forces have launched an aggressive campaign against the terrorists.

On July 6 and July 7, six terrorists and 2 soldiers were killed in two encounters between the holed-up terrorists in the Kulgam district of the Kashmir Valley.

–IANS