An alert was on Sunday sounded in Punjab’s border district of Pathankot after two explosives-laden drones crashed into the high security Indian Air Force (IAF) station at Jammu airport. A tight vigil is being maintained near key installations in Pathankot, officials said. In 2016, terrorists had attacked the Pathankot Air Force base.
Let’s have a look at what all we know so far about twin blast at IAF Station in Jammu Airport today:
• Two explosions, within a gap of five minutes, rocked the high security technical area of Jammu airport in the early hours of Sunday, officials said. The first blast, which took place around 1.45 am, ripped off the roof of a building at the technical area of the airport manned by the Air Force. The second one was on the ground.
• Two IAF personnel were injured in the explosions. The attack at the IAF station in Jammu is a terror attack, Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbag Singh said, adding that the police and other agencies were working together with IAF officials to unravel the plan behind the attack.
• The IAF is investigating whether the two “low-intensity” explosions were part of a terror attack, people familiar with the defence and security establishment said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s office said he spoke to Vice Air Chief, Air Marshal HS Arora over the explosions.
• “There was no damage to any equipment. Investigation is in progress along with civil agencies,” Indian Air Force (IAF) said in a Twitter post.
• Various probe teams including that of the IAF and National Investigation Agency (NIA) have also reached the Air Force station. Jammu airport is a civil airport with the runway and the ATC under the IAF. As per sources, the IAF has instituted an inquiry into the matter and initial assessment has suggested that a small drone was used for the blast.
• After the attack, senior officers of the Border Security Forces (BSF) have reviewed the security situation along the International Border, which has been put on high alert.
• While officials were probing the drone attack, another major strike was averted when a person, probably owing allegiance to the banned Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT), was arrested along with an IED weighing around six kg, the director general of police said. The person was tasked with triggering the IED in a crowded place. “The suspect has been detained and is being interrogated. More suspects are likely to be picked up in this foiled IED blast attempt,” Dilbag Singh said.
• The Airports Authority of Jammu said in a tweet that all flight operations were being conducted as usual. “Total 16 flights scheduled for the day departing to Delhi, Srinagar, Leh and Gwalior. Only two flights G8 185 and SG 963 cancelled for the day due to operational reasons,” it tweeted.
(with inputs from PTI)
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