STATE TIMES NEWS
Jammu: In what is the first time Pakistan-based terrorists have used drones to strike vital installations, two bombs were dropped at the Airforce Station Jammu in the early hours of Sunday, officials said.
Two Indian Air Force personnel were injured in the explosions that took place around 1.40 am within six minutes of each other.
FIR registered; NIA likely to take over probe
Jammu: An FIR was registered Sunday under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act after two explosives-laden drones crashed into the Airforce Station Jammu, officials said, while indicating the case may be taken over by the terror probe agency NIA.
An FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Explosive Substances Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Satwari police station on the application of a junior warrant officer of the IAF, the officials said.
“The NIA is likely to take over the case. They are already supervising the investigation at the scene of the blast after joining the probe,” one of the officials said.
He said an FIR was registered under UAPA sections 13/16/18/23 of the (unlawful activities/terrorist act/conspiracy/enhanced penalties), and IPC section 120-B (criminal conspiracy).
Sections 3 and 4 of the Explosive Substances Act (causing explosion likely to endanger life or property/attempt to cause explosion, or for making or keeping explosive with intent to endanger life or property) have also been included.
Meanwhile, a battery of media persons camped outside the main gate of the IAF station hit by the twin blasts. However, no out of ordinary movement was noticed at the gate except visits by senior officers of the Army, police, CRPF and other agencies.
Labourers engaged for routine work inside the station reported on schedule and were allowed in after usual checking of their identity cards and frisking.
Army quick reaction teams (QRTs) were seen making rounds to maintain watch outside the IAF station, while security forces also carried out area domination in the adjoining residential localities, the officials quoted above said.
Security has been beefed up across Jammu region including on highways where special checkpoints were set up to carry out checking of vehicles especially at the entry and exit points of the city.
DGP Dilbag Singh also said while officials were investigating the drone attack, another major strike was averted as a person, probably owing allegiance to the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, was arrested along with an improvised explosive device weighing around six kg.
The person was tasked with triggering the IED blast at a crowded place, 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 first blast ripped off the roof of a single-storey building at the high security technical area of the airport manned by the IAF in Satwari area on the outskirts of the city. The second one was on the ground, the officials said.
Rajnath Singh speaks to Vice Air Chief
New Delhi: The Indian Air Force is probing whether the two low-intensity explosions at its base in Jammu on Sunday 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.
Investigators are also examining the possible use of drones to drop the explosives at the airport that has various assets of the IAF, they said.
In a Twitter post, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said two “low-intensity explosions” were reported early Sunday morning in the technical area of Jammu air force station and one of them caused minor damage to the roof of a building while the other exploded in an open area.
“There was no damage to any equipment. Investigation is in progress along with civil agencies,” it said. The people cited above said all angles including the possible involvement of terror networks in the explosions are being probed. “Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh spoke to Vice Air Chief, Air Marshal HS Arora regarding today’s incident at Air Force Station in Jammu. Air Marshal Vikram Singh is reaching Jammu to take stock of the situation,” it tweeted.
The people cited above said Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria has been apprised about the explosions.
The IAF chief is on a three-day visit to Bangladesh from Saturday.
“The attack at the Air Force Station in Jammu is a terror attack,” Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbag Singh told PTI.
He said the police and other agencies were working with IAF officials to unravel the plan behind the attack. A team from anti-terror probe agency National Investigation Agency (NIA) was also at the spot.
It was not immediately clear from where the drones had taken off and investigations were on to ascertain their flight path, officials said.
Investigators scanned CCTV footage, including from cameras installed on the boundary walls of the airport, in an effort to determine from where the drones came. However, all the CCTV cameras focused on the roadside, officials said.
Drones cannot be detected by radars deployed at border areas to monitor enemy activity, they said, suggesting that a different radar system that can detect drones as small as a bird be installed.
The drones dropped the explosive material and were either flown back across the border or to some other destination during the night, the officials said.
The aerial distance from the Jammu airport to the international border is 14 km.
While officials were investigating the drone attack, another major strike was averted when a person, probably owing allegiance to the banned Lashker-e-Taiba, was arrested along with an improvised explosive device (IED) weighing around six kg, the director general of police said.
“The suspect has been detained and is being interrogated. More suspects are likely to be picked up in this foiled IED blast attempt,” Singh said.
Officials said three more people have been rounded up for questioning.
Giving details of the person detained with the IED, the officials said he belongs to Banihal area in Jammu region and was tasked with planting the IED in a crowded place before getting enrolled in a terror group.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s office said he spoke to Vice Air Chief, Air Marshal H S Arora, over the airport incident.
In a Twitter post, the IAF said two “low-intensity explosions” were reported early Sunday morning in the technical area of Jammu air force station.
“One caused minor damage to the roof of a building while the other exploded in an open area. There was no damage to any equipment. Investigation is in progress along with civil agencies,” it said.
Earlier in the morning, a defence spokesperson said, “There were reports of an explosion inside Air Force Station Jammu. There is no injury to any personnel or any damage to any equipment. Investigation is on and further details are awaited”.
Jammu airport is a civil airport with the runway and the ATC (air traffic control) under the IAF.
Jammu Airport director Pravat Ranjan Beuria told PTI that there was no disruption in flight operations due to the explosions. “Flights to and from Jammu airport are operating as per schedule,” he said.
Jammu and Kashmir Police has registered an FIR under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, officials said, indicating that the case is likely to be taken over by the NIA.
“The NIA is already supervising the investigation at the scene of the blast after joining the probe,” one of the officials said.
The FIR was also registered under relevant sections of the Explosive Substances Act and the Indian Penal Code at the Satwari police station on the application of a junior warrant officer of the IAF, he said.