“Keeping the situation of Jammu and Kashmir in mind and in the wake of terror attack in Uri, I have postponed my visits to Russian Federation and the U.S.”, he said. “Of these, 13-14 casualties have been due to these tents/shelters having caught fire”, he said.
Advertisement
According to the Army, four fidayeen (militant suicide fighters) broke into the base via the rear office of the infantry battalion in Baramulla district’s Uri in the wee hours. In the aftermath of the Jaish-e-Mohammed’s terrorist attack on the Indian parliament complex in December 2001, the Vajpayee government mobilised the Indian army’s strike forces only to realise the military and diplomatic costs of “coercive diplomacy” outweighed its benefits. The attackers set fire to one building before the four were killed in a gunfight that lasted several hours. “We don’t know which militant group is involved”, a senior Home Ministry official told Reuters.
While the home minister held a high-level review meeting here, Parrikar went to Kashmir along with army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag to take stock of the situation. But some reports said the guerrillas had recently infiltrated into the Indian side of the Line of Control from Pakistan. “We could not go back to sleep after that”, said Irfan Wadoo, a 28-year-old student in Uri who lives close to the army base.
Rajnath Singh, who was to travel to leave for Russian Federation today, postponed his visit and called for an emergency meeting.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly condemned what he called the “cowardly terror attack”.
“17 soldiers make the supreme sacrifice”, the command said on Twitter on Sunday, referring to the Uri area, about 100km west of the troubled northern region’s main city of Srinagar.
So far, no militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Rock-throwing protesters have clashed with troops firing live ammunition and shotgun pellets, and more than 80 people have been killed in the violence.
Pakistan denies any role in cross-border terrorism, and has called on the United Nations and the worldwide community to investigate atrocities it alleges have been committed by the security forces in Indian-ruled Kashmir.
The United Nations is holding its annual general assembly in NY, where Kashmir is likely to come onto the agenda.
Most people in the Indian-controlled portion favor independence or a merger with Pakistan.
In the retaliatory action, the Army airdropped the elite Para troopers near the base, reportedly killing four suspected militants.
Advertisement
“India immediately puts blame on Pakistan without doing any investigation. GoI has not only played foul with Pakistan in the name of dialogue but has eroded the credibility of all those including mainstream and Hurriyat leaders and militant commanders, who dared to talk to New Delhi for permanent peace”.
