Jammu attack: MHA talks lapses with DGP

The incident, second in seven months along the relatively peaceful International Border in Jammu rattled the security establishment as the 179-km stretch is properly guarded and fenced except some riverine patches.

On March 29, three terrorists in army uniform hijacked a vehicle on the NH, killed two of its occupants and attempted to attack an Army camp at Janglote. The attack was foiled, but a jawan was killed in the exchange of fire.

In a similar attack on September 27, 2013, three terrorists had stormed the Hiranagar-Samba stretch in Jammu killing 12 people including a Lieutenant Colonel.

“All we know is three men who launched the attack were foreigners. The GPS device and mobile phones they were carrying are smashed and there is no further information on their identity. The meeting at MHA deliberated on how the three could have entered the heavily protected area. Even intelligence agencies did not have any clue,” said a senior official. The meeting Monday was attended by top intelligence officials and J&K DGP Ashok Prasad.

“The incident is worrisome, specially when a similar attack took place in September. Even in that attack we could not make much headway as the GPS device was badly damaged. Intelligence agencies have been asked to find if a group of militants has already crossed the border and are carrying out attacks whenever they receive specific instructions. Both September and March attacks were similar,” said the official.