JAMMU: Three Indian soldiers, including a major, and an equal number of attackers were killed as a fierce gun battle raged in Jammu and Kashmir’s Nagrota cantonment on Tuesday, the second such attack on an army facility in as many months.
Sources said a “hostage situation” prevailed in the camp and special forces were sent in but there was no word from the army.
In another gunfight, 70km from Nagrota, three Kashmiri fighters were killed and six BSF men, including a DIG, were injured near the International Border in Chamliyal area of Samba sector.
According to Indian media, the attackers, reportedly four, fired indiscriminately at the Officers’ Mess before storming the building.
Nagrota, which is around 20 km from Jammu, is the headquarters of the army’s 16 Corps, a massive military formation that defends the borders and fights with freedom fighters in the greater Jammu region. The army camp is surrounded by thick forests and a river flows just behind it.
The unit is highly fortified, said officers, but the attackers were from the fidayeen or suicide squad and were “determined to get in”.
The army has cordoned off the area and all schools have been shut down. Traffic has been stopped on the highway, which is very close to the camp.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said: “Statistics have shown the attack is on military installations. Civilians not being targeted.”
In September, 19 soldiers were killed when fighters attacked an army base in Uri.
