Singh hailed Punjab Police for engaging the terrorists “effectively” and said all efforts were made to apprehend the attackers and prevent their escape besides avoiding any collateral damage. “The terrorists were well armed with good firearms and good ammunition and were carrying Global Positioning System sets”.
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During the operation, the BSF and the Army were placed on high alert along the border, he said. “There have been earlier reports of Pakistan infiltration and cross-border mischief in this area”, said Singh, whose constituency in the Jammu region borders Gurdaspur. “We want peace with Pakistan but not at the cost of national honour”.
The attack, the first major terror strike in the state in eight years, is suspected to have been carried out by terrorists from either the Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) or Jaishe-Mohammad (JeM). The auto, which was hijacked by the terrorists and on which they came to the police station complex, was also being examined.
On Monday, the Punjab government had announced that the next of kin of each member of the police force who lost their lives in the operation would be given government job. They had to depend on Jammu and Kashmir police for equipment.
In an emotional outburst, locals raised slogans hailing the Punjab Police. Seven people, including the police officer, three home guards and three civilians were killed in the attack.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who is also the government’s main spokesman, said the evidence the group came from across the border was “overwhelmingly conclusive”.
Earlier, on Monday Home Minister issued a fresh warning to Pakistan, saying Islamabad should be ready for a befitting reply.
“I don’t know his condition, but he was immediately rushed to the hospital”.
The gunmen then entered the Dinanagar police station and opened fire in which five policemen were seriously injured. The clearly well-planned attack took the small town of Dinanagar by surprise.
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Saini did not elaborate why police concluded the gunmen were Muslim and declined to confirm whether or not they were from Pakistan, as some Indian security sources had suggested. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with Union ministers Manohar Parrikar, Arun Jaitley and Venkaiah Naidu to discuss the situation. “We can wait for some more time for funds for building bridges and roads, but money for modernizing the police force must be released immediately”, said Badal while talking to mediapersons here.
