J&K: 2 militants neutralised in attack on Rashtriya Rifles camp in Baramulla; 1 jawan martyred

Three days after the Indian Army’s surgical strike on terror launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), militants launched a major attack on an Army camp at Baramulla town on late Sunday evening. Late night reports said two terrorists and a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan were killed. One jawan was wounded.

The gunfight started at 10.30 pm when unknown militants attacked the 46 Rashtriya Rifles camp at Janbazpora area.

Taking advantage of the darkness, militants first lobbed grenades and then opened heavy fire on the camp, sources said. The Army immediately retaliated on the militants. The exchange of heavy firing between the militants and the Army was on till reports came in.

“Terrorists opened fire on the Army camp. The exchange of fire is still going on”, Colonel Rajesh Kalia, defence spokesman at Srinagar, told dna.

Panic has gripped the area, which has been witnessing massive protests and stone-pelting for the last few months. The entire area has been rattled by gun roars as the locals apprehend another major standoff between the troops and the militants in the area.

“Colleagues in Baramulla town are phoning with reports of massive gunfire in their vicinity. Prayers for all in the area”, tweeted Omar Abdullah, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister.

It was not immediately known whether it was a fidayeen strike or a standalone militant attack on the Army camp. There was no confirmation of any casualty immediately.

Locals said that the entire area has been sealed and heavy volume of gunfire has broken the eerie calm in the area. “We were retiring to bed when we heard the gunshots. We do not know what is happening in the vicinity. It seems heavy gunfight is on,” said a local of the old town.

The attack has come four days after Indian Army launched surgical strikes on the terror launch pads on the other side of Line of Control in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The attack comes 15 days after four Jaish-e-Mohammad fidayeens barged into the Army’s 12 brigade headquarters at Uri and unleashed mayhem, killing 19 soldiers and injuring 20 others.