Drone attack at Jammu air base, 2 injured
Jammu, Jun 27: In what is believed to be the first use of drones in a terror attack on an Indian military facility, two blasts took place at the Air Force base in Jammu Airport in the early hours of Sunday.
Two Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel suffered minor injuries in the explosions that took place a little before 2 am at the high security airport located around 14 km from the border with Pakistan. Reports say the explosions, at 1.37 am and 1.43 am, were heard a km away.
One of the blasts caused damage to the roof of a building in the technical section while another bomb exploded in an open area.
“The attack at the IAF station in Jammu is a terror attack,” said Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbag Singh.
An FIR has been registered under the anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act that allows the arrest of suspects and their detention for up to six months without evidence. The National Investigation Agency has taken over the probe.
Teams from the IAF, the National Bomb Data Centre, forensic experts and the Jammu and Kashmir police are also investigating the attack.
The police chief said another major strike was averted when a terrorist, believed to be working for the Pakistan-based outfit Lashker-e-Taiba, was arrested with an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) that was to be used for a strike “in a crowded place”. The arrest is not linked to the airport attack, Dilbagh Singh said.
“Drones with payload were used in both the blasts at Jammu airfield. Another crude bomb was found by the Jammu police. This IED was received by a Lashkar e Taiba operative and was to be planted at some crowded place,” Mr Singh said.
The Jammu airport is a dual use facility under IAF control, also used to operate passenger flights. Jammu Airport director Pravat Ranjan Beuria told PTI there was no disruption in flights.
IAF CHIEF MONITORING SITUATION
Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, who is in Bangladesh on an official invitation, is constantly monitoring the situation. Necessary instructions have been passed to officers on ground for probe into the incident. Western Air Commander Air Marshal VR Chaudhari is on ground, senior IAF officials said.
HIGH ALERT
Three main airports – Srinagar Airport, Srinagar Technical Airport and Awantipora air base have been put on high alert after the blasts. Ambala and Pathankot air force stations were also put on alert in the morning.
DEFENCE MINISTER REVIEWS SITUATION
On Sunday morning, defence minister Rajnath Singh spoke to the Vice Air Chief and Air Marshal HS Arora about the incident in Jammu. From his official handle, the Union minister tweeted that Air Marshal Vikram Singh was reaching Jammu to take stock of the situation.
Crude bomb found in Jammu
New Delhi: A crude bomb was found in Jammu soon after a drone attack on the Air Force base in the city, Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbagh Singh said on Sunday, widening the investigation into what authorities said was a terror strike. “Drones with payload were used in both the blasts at Jammu airfield. Another crude bomb was found by the Jammu police. This IED (Improvised Explosive Device) was received by LeT (Lashkar-e-Taiba) operative and was to be planted at some crowded place,” Mr Singh said. The IED with 4 kg explosives was found in the Narwal area of Jammu from Nadeem Ul Haq, a 22-year-old resident of Banihal, who has been arrested, he said. The arrest is not linked to the airport attack, Dilbagh Singh said.
