BJP pulls up Pak, blames LeT for Uri attack

Describing the attack on 12th brigade headquarters at Uri as extremely serious, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today blamed Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba responsible for the bloodshed and said it is high time that Islamabad must now confess to backing these terror outfits.

BJP leader Ravinder Raina told ANI that the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists entered India from Pakistan occupied area of Muzaffarabad.

"From the past few days, Kashmir valley is witnessing shutdown due to Pakistan and this fidayeen attack is also a matter of serious concern for our country. Pakistan is continuously targeting India and this time again bloodshed in India is due to Pakistan," he said.

Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh has blamed Pakistan for the terror attack, saying that this was a massive controversy against India, adding the Centre is looking into Islamabad's role in the matter.

Singh stated that the current situation of unrest in the Valley is the result of the proxy war in which Pakistan has been indulging since ages.

In a statement, the Army said that a group of heavily armed terrorists targeted the rear administrative base of a unit at Uri, and in the counter action, four terrorists have been eliminated and combing operations are in progress.

"The administrative base had large strength of troops of units turning over after their tour of duty who were stationed in tents/temporary shelters which caught fire, and resulted in heavy casualties. We salute the sacrifice of 17 soldiers who were martyred in the operation," the statement added.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Army Chief General Dalbir Singh will visit the Valley to take stock of the situation.

After postponing his forthcoming visits to the United States and Russia in the wake of the encounter in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has instructed Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and other senior officers in the Ministry of Home Affairs to closely monitor the situation in the Valley.

A high level security meet is presently underway at Rajnath's residence in which senior MHA and MoD officials are present.