Four terrorists slain in Friday's encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district belonged to LeT, says BSF

Jammu: Director General of BSF KK Sharma on Friday said that the group of four terrorist killed in Sunderbani encounter belonged to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Four terrorists, who were part of a suicide squad, were killed in a day-long encounter with security forces in the Sunderbani area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district on 28 March, police said. The BSF chief said that it was his organisation that provided exact intelligence input to eliminate the terrorists. “As of now, they are only four militants belonging to the LeT. There can be splinter groups of it as well. I cannot not rule it out. We have kept the highest level of alertness from our side,” Sharma told reporters here. [caption id=“attachment_4360685” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. PTI[/caption] The fidayeen, or suicide attackers, had infiltrated into the Indian territory from across the Line of Control (LoC) about four-five days ago, prompting security forces to launch a search operation in the area. The DG BSF said, “We have intelligence inputs about the presence of militants earlier with us. That is why, the level of security and alertness around our security installation and establishments was on highest level.” He said that the BSF got a specific input and on that input local police and the army and other security forces cordoned off the area and isolated them in the riverine area and eliminated them without any collateral damage. “There was no loss to the security forces. The operation was successfully completed,” he added. Sharma said that the specific information was given by the BSF where they are staged and the BSF men and officers participated in the operation. “If there would have not been alertness, these terrorists were close to the Sunderbani-based BSF headquarters and there could have been a untoward incident,” he said. Replying to a question about the terrorists target, Sharma said that the BSF establishment could have been target as it was close. “The militants, who have first view of any security establishment, that becomes the target. BSF was very close,” he added. The BSF chief said that they were at highest degree of alertness and that is why they were not unsuccessful. “Their attempt will always be to cause human loss to security forces and BSF is prepared to meet any challenge fully,” he added. Asked as to why terrorists failed to carry out an attack against a security establishment, Sharma said they (terrorists) may have some error in their planning and lack of support from local population. “They could not have got the local guide and that is why they kept on roaming. There was something wrong in their planning”, he added. “The security forces did very well by eliminating them with their alertness,” Sharma added.