Two JCOs killed in Jaish militants attack

Two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) were killed while a Colonel rank officer and daughter of an Army personnel were among four persons injured as militants attacked the Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu city early today, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri said.

The minister informed the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly that Subedar Madanlal Chowdhary and Subedar Mohammed Ashraf Mir were killed in the attack by a group of militants.

Those injured included a Colonel rank Army officer, Havaldar Abdul Hamid, Lance Naik Bahadur Singh and daughter of Subedar Chowdhary, he said amid protests by BJP members who raised anti-Pakistan slogans in the House.

While the minister did not specify the group affiliation of the militants who carried out the attack, officials said Jaish-e-Mohammed militants were behind the terror strike.The exact number of militants is not known but as per initial calls received at PCR Jammu 4 to 5 militants were involved, he said.

DGP S P Vaid said the terrorists entered from the rear side of Sunjwan Army camp where family quarters are located.The



militants have been isolated, they said.

IGP SD Singh Jamwal told reporters here that "around 4:55 am suspicious movement was noticed by the sentry and his bunker was fired upon. The fire was retaliated. The number of militants isn't known. 

They've been cornered in one of the family quarters." 

Security forces and police have cordoned off the area around the Sunjwan Army camp. The camp falls under the first Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry in 36 Brigade.

Soon after the attack, reinforcements of the Army s special forces and SOG rushed to the spot and cordoned off the whole area amid a fierce gunfight, security official said.

Schools in the entire area around the camp have been closed by authorities as a precautionary measure.A high alert has been sounded in Jammu and security beefed up in and around the city.

Intelligence inputs had warned of an attack on the Army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of Afzal Guru who was hanged on February 9, 2013.