BUNTY MAHAJAN
JAMMU, APRIL 21: It was the coordination between intelligence agencies and Jammu Kashmir Police that led to timely elimination of two heavily armed fidayeens 48 hours before the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Samba district’s Palli village.
“We are not sure as of now as to what had exactly happed, but yes there was some intelligence input two days back regarding an infiltration attempt by Jaish-e-Mohammad,’’ said Additional Director General of Police, Jammu, Mukesh Singh. “This group could be possibly one of those groups which infiltrated, but as of now we cannot say anything conclusively,’’ he added.
When asked about the likely presence of other militant groups in the area, he ruled it out. It does not appear likely, he said, adding “usually they do not send too many groups at a time for a particular purpose’’. “This was the group which had come with a big motive and I do not suspect any further groups here, but we are alert,’’ he added.
Both the slain fidayeen were wearing “suicide vests’’ which they, after exhausting all their ammunition in the event of a successful engagement with security forces, would have blown up to cause more damage.
“The presence of suicide vests (on their bodies) is very significant,’’ he said, adding that “it has not happened for a quite sometime in the past. It appears that they wanted to strike big this time’’. Apart from the type of weaponary, the way the were wearing costly shoes made in Poland and Vietnam, the slain militants appear to be “suicide attackers’’ as such quality and costly things are provided only to fidayeen on suicide mission.
When asked whether PM’s proposed rally on April 24 was the target of slain militants, he said that it may not be the rally venue, but some place nearby or some big target in Jammu city. If something big happens in Jammu, it has repercussions at other places too, he said, adding that it may be that their target was to do something big in Samba or Jammu.
The slain militants appear to be suicide attackers going by the kind of weapons and the fire power they had, he said, adding that the presence of suicide vests with them indicate they that they had come to Jammu for a specific purpose. The seizure of medicines which had Pakistani markings on them also indicate that they had come from Pakistan, he added.
To a question, Mukesh said that the slain militants appear to be owing allegiance to Jaish-e-Mohammad as their attack on Friday was similar to the previous two encounters which had taken place at Ban Toll Plaza. The kind of weapons they were having and the modus operandi they used and their presence near the border, all this indicate that they were from the same group which had tried on previous occasions to attack security forces camp. However, all these three attempts have been neutralized, he added.