Low intensity explosions hit IAF station at Jammu in what officials say could be the first case of drone attack by terrorists. Investigations are being carried out by teams of various agencies and IAF in J&K.
After two “low-intensity” explosions hit an Indian Air Force station in Jammu on Sunday, the security agencies were investigating the suspected use of drones by terrorists. The explosions left two IAF personnel injured and prompted multiple teams to join the probe.
A little after 1:30am on Sunday, the explosions hit the station. They caused minor damage to a building. Security experts and officials said that this could be the first time where drones were used in an attack on a major installation in the country.
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DGP-Jammu and Kashmir Dilbag Singh said that the twin blasts at the IAF’s technical airport was a “terror attack”. It was reported at the high-security technical area of the Jammu airport. The airport, where the attack took place is manned by the IAF in Satwari area on the outskirts of the city.
DGP Singh said, “A drone with payload in both the blasts at Jammu airfield is suspected to have dropped the explosive material. The police have registered an FIR and investigation is on.”
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An IAF official said that the first blast at the airport, which is used for VVIP movement and armed forces’ strategic operations, took place at 1:37am. It caused minor damage to the roof of a building. The second blast, said to be weaker in intensity was reported at 1:42am in an open area, according to the IAF official.
Singh said that the police and other agencies were working with IAF officials to ascertain the specifics. A team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was also at the spot.
The air force said that the blasts were also being probed by a high-level IAF team. IAF’s official Twitter handle said, “There was no damage to any equipment. Investigation is in progress along with civil agencies.”
There have been several incidents of Pakistan-based terrorists using drones in the border areas of J&K. Such operations were used to drop arms, ammunition, drugs and money to fuel terrorism in the region. Drones have previously not been engaged by terrorists to carry out attacks, as indicated by experts.
India & Pakistan recommitted themselves to the 2003 ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC) in February, following a series of back-channel contacts between security officials of the two countries. This truce has largely held, helping to ease bilateral tensions. But, recent reports have suggested that the back-channel contacts have stalled.
Pakistan has also issued several strong statements in recent weeks about what it claims were the Indian government’s plans to carry out more changes in J&K. Noting that Kashmir is an integral part of the country, India has rejected these statements. India has also asserted that Pakistan’s comments amounted to interference in internal affairs.
On Sunday, the J&K Police said that they had detained two people for questioning over the blasts. An official from J&K police, who asked not to be named, said that the “possible target of the drones was the aircraft parked in the dispersal area”.
Another police official said that the first blast created a hole in the rooftop of the building, indicating the use of “adequate amount of explosives”.
The official said on condition of anonymity that a bomb disposal squad and forensic experts rushed to the site soon after the second blast.
The incident comes days after a meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with political leaders from J&K. In the meeting, attended by Gupkar alliance, PM told political leaders from J&K that elections would be held there once delimitation is carried out, two years after the special status of the erstwhile state was revoked.
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Defence minister Rajnath Singh is currently in Leh. He is present there to take stock of the security scenario. In New Delhi, a senior official said that the defence minister was expected to review the security situation in Jammu. The defence minister’s office said that he spoke to Vice Air Chief, Air Marshal HS Arora, over the airport incident.
An official stated that it was not immediately clear from where the drones took off. The official added that investigations were underway to track their flight path.
Investigators scanned CCTV footage. Video inputs were also taken from cameras installed on the boundary walls of the airport. The official said that the aerial distance from the Jammu airport to the international border is about 14km.
DGP Dilbag Singh said that while officials were investigating the drone attack, a person, suspected to be linked to Lashker-e-Taiba, was arrested along with an improvised explosive device (IED) weighing around 6kg.
DGP Singh said, “The suspect has been detained and is being interrogated. More suspects are likely to be picked up in this foiled IED blast attempt.”
The Jammu airport is a civil airport. Its runway and the ATC (air traffic control) are under the IAF. Jammu airport’s director Pravat Ranjan Beuria said that there was no disruption in flight operations due to the explosions. Beuria said, “Flights to and from Jammu airport are operating as per schedule.”
(PTI)
