Terror attack in Kathua, one killed

Terror struck Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district early today as three militants in Army fatigues opened fire at a SUV, killing one of its occupants and injuring three others.

The gunmen were intercepted after a two hour chase near an Army camp and a private college in Kalibari-Janglote belt of Kathua district, triggering a heavy exchange of fire between the two sides. An army jawan has been injured in the encounter.

A police officer said, "Three persons wearing Army uniform intercepted a SUV, forced out the occupants and opened fire on them at Tarnah Nallah bridge in Dayala Chak belt of Kathua district around 0500 hours", a police officer said.

One person was killed and three others were injured, he said.

The unidentified gunmen the hijacked the vehicle and drove away with the driver, the officer said.

The vehicle carrying the suspected militants was intercepted by the Army after two hours near a private college in Kalibari-Janglote belt, resulting in heavy exchange of fire between the two sides that has left a jawan injured.

The encounter was going on when last reports came in.

The injured have been shifted to Government Medical College Hospital, police said, adding a high alert has been sounded by the security agencies.

Security has been stepped up at Army camps and important places in Kathua, Samba and Jammu districts.

The attack comes two days after BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi had addressed a rally in Hiranagar-Dayalachak belt of Kathua district in which he had had lashed out at Pakistan.

This is the second major terror attack in Kathua district. On September 26, 2013, three heavily-armed terrorists had attacked a police station and an Army camp in the border districts of Kathua and Samba, killing ten people, including four policemen and a Army officer.

An outfit calling itself the 'Shohada Brigade' had claimed responsibility for the twin terror attacks. However, security forces believe the Lashkar-e-Toiba was behind it.