Terror attack at IAF base; 3 securitymen, 4 attackers killed
Pathankot (Punjab): Heavily-armed Pakistani terrorists on Saturday attempted to storm the Air Force base here, triggering a day-long gunbattle in which three securitymen and four infiltrators were killed, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise stopover in Lahore.
With the obvious intention of destroying fighter jets and attack helicopters housed there, the group of terrorists in army fatigues attempted to storm the base which is barely 35 kms from the international border with Pakistan but could not penetrate deep.
In heavy exchange of fire, a commando and two other personnel of the IAF were killed along with four attackers. At least, six security men were also injured.
While high-level defence sources put the number of terrorists killed at four, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had tweeted, “I congratulate our armed forces and other security forces on successfully neutralising all the five terrorists in ‘Pathankot Operation’.
Later, the tweet was deleted.
The Prime Minister, who had taken a big political risk by going to Lahore, said in Mysuru that the attack was carried out by “enemies of humanity who can’t see India progress”.
He expressed pride in the security forces, saying they did not let the terrorists succeed.
The attackers were believed to have infiltrated from Pakistan and there was speculation that they may belong to Jaish-e-Mohammad headed Maulana Masood Azhar of the Kandahar hijack episode.
The terrorists, who are said to have infiltrated three days ago, launched the first ever attack on an Indian Air base at around 3.30 am, their obvious targets being MiG-21 fighter aircraft and MI-25 attack helicopters.
Rajnath Singh did not rule out the possibility of involvement of Pakistan-based JeM terror outfit in the attack.
“The case will be probed by the NIA but the possibility of JeM being behind the attack cannot be ruled out,” he said.
The terrorists were carrying Under Barrel Grenade Launcher ((UBGL), 52 mm mortars, AK rifles and GPS machine. Based on intercepts, security agencies believe that one Nazeer from Bahawalpur in Pakistan was leading the group.
Defence sources said the terrorists sneaked into the nearly 2000-acre air base through a forested area where were confronted by the Quick Reaction Team of Garud commandos. They managed to go up to 400 metres but were still 700 metres away from the area where fighters were stationed.
In the wake of the attack, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar cut short his stay in Goa and returned to Delhi where he held a high level meeting which was attended by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and three Service chiefs.
“Through timely and prompt action by all agencies, the likely plan of the terrorists to destroy valuable assets of the Air Force has been foiled,” IAF said in a statement after the meeting. The terrorists could not go beyond the ‘langar’ (eating place) near the outer perimeter of the IAF complex as the security forces were ready to take them on, officials said about the operation which was supervised directly by Doval. (PTI)