Militants attack police station, army camp; five killed

The attack comes a day after the PM left for the US yesterday where he is scheduled to meet Sharif on Sunday

Heavily-armed militants dressed in army fatigues today attacked a police station in Kathua, killing five persons, including four policemen, before targeting an army camp in nearby Samba, in a terror strike 72 hours ahead of a meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif.

Three militants barged into the Hiranagar Police Station in Kathua district near Jammu-Pathankot National Highway around 06:45 hours and indiscriminately fired after hurling a grenade, police said.

Four cops, including an Assistant Sub-Inspector, were killed and another ASI was injured in the attack that also left a civilian dead.

DIG Shakeel Baig said five persons have been killed in the suicide attack.

The militants later intercepted a truck on the highway, boarded it and forced its driver to move towards Jammu, they said.

The militants stopped the vehicle near the gate of an Army camp in Sambha, 40 kms from here, and attacked the camp.

According to initial reports, two to three army jawans have been injured in the firing by the militants, who later barged inside the army camp.

The heavy gunbattle is going on, the DIG, who is supervising the operation on the spot, said.

The attack comes a day after the Prime Minister left for the US yesterday where he is scheduled to meet Sharif on Sunday for talks which have been opposed by BJP.

This morning's attack is seen as a bid to derail the meeting from across the border.