Arms seized in Billawar
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 29: Militants lobbed a grenade at Bus Stand police station at midnight last night in heart of Jammu City but failed to cause any casualties or major damage even as Army averted major terror plot by unearthing a terrorist hideout in Billawar tehsil of Kathua district.
Militants, whose numbers couldn’t be ascertained immediately, lobbed a grenade from JP Chowk-Indira Chowk road targeting Bus Stand police station at around midnight last night.
However, police said, the grenade struck against sign board of `Dabbu Da Dhaba’, adjacent to the Bus Stand police station and exploded on its roof. The blast caused damage to the `dhaba’ but all police personnel inside the police station including SHO Rajesh Jasrotia and the cops in a police Gypsy parked outside the police station besides other people in the `dhaba’ and adjacent shops were safe. Click here to watch video
SSP Jammu Tejinder Singh, SP City Amritpal Singh and SDPO City Varun Jandial rushed to the spot for on spot investigations.
Police said pins of the grenade have been recovered from the spot. It has also been confirmed from splinters of the device collected from the spot that it was a grenade.
Police personnel had very narrow escape in the blast as it had clearly been intended to target the police station.
Significantly, this was second grenade attack targeting Bus Stand police teams by the militants. On May 24, the militants had lobbed a grenade towards Bus Stand police station Gypsy in which five persons including SHO Inspector Rajesh Jasrotia were injured. However, accused involved in that blast, has already been arrested by police.
“Number of the militants involved in the grenade attack was being ascertained. However, most likely it seems to be handiwork of one or two militants only,” they said, adding the militant(s) managed to escape from the spot taking cover of darkness.
Police have been conducting searches at many places to nab the militants and their harbourers. However, no arrests have been made so far.
Meanwhile, Army and local police, based on inputs from the Military Intelligence conducted a joint search operation at village Galak in Billawar tehsil of Kathua district and recovered large quantity of arms, ammunition and explosives concealed under the land.
Recoveries made from the spot included two AK-47 rifles, one hand grenade, four magazines, 256 rounds of AK ammunition, 59 rounds of sniper ammunition and some other items.
“The recovery had averted major terrorist strike planned in Jammu region,” a Defence spokesman said.
After effecting the recoveries, security forces conducted searches in the area. However, no arrests were made.
“It was being investigated as to how the militants managed to bring the consignment to Billawar tehsil of Kathua district, which was completely peaceful,” sources said, adding that the militants might have been planning to reach the spot later for carrying out the terror attack.
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