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Punjab police station siege puts Indian security forces on high alert Punjab police station siege puts Indian security forces on high alert
(about 2 hours later)
Security forces are on high alert in cities across India after gunmen attacked a police station, killing at least seven people in the north-western state of Punjab.Security forces are on high alert in cities across India after gunmen attacked a police station, killing at least seven people in the north-western state of Punjab.
Authorities said four police officers and three civilians had been confirmed dead in the siege, and eight more injured. All three of the attackers died.Authorities said four police officers and three civilians had been confirmed dead in the siege, and eight more injured. All three of the attackers died.
The attack started at about 5.30am on Monday in Gurdaspur, a city less than 10 miles from the border with Pakistan. The attack started at about 5.30am on Monday in Dinanagar, a town less than 10 miles from the border with Pakistan.
Reporters at the scene and TV footage indicated that gunfire continued into the early afternoon as hundreds of Indian troops moved into position around the police station. The assault ended at about 5pm, AFP reported, when security forces finally entered the police station where the gunmen had been holed up. Reporters at the scene and TV footage indicated that gunfire continued throughout much of the day as hundreds of Indian troops moved into position around the police station. The assault ended at about 5pm, AFP reported, when security forces finally entered the police station where the gunmen had been holed up.
The identity of the gunmen, who were reported to have been wearing Indian police or military uniforms, has yet to be established.The identity of the gunmen, who were reported to have been wearing Indian police or military uniforms, has yet to be established.
India has suffered repeated high-profile attacks involving Islamic extremists over recent decades. Many have belonged to Pakistan-based groups with close links to its security establishment. The Punjab, however, was wracked by violence involving local Sikh separatists in the 1980s and early 1990s. India has come under repeated high-profile attacks involving Islamist extremists over recent decades. Many have belonged to Pakistan-based groups with close links to its security establishment. The Punjab, however, was racked by violence involving local Sikh separatists in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Jitendra Singh – a junior minister in the office of the prime minister, Narendra Modi – said he did not rule out Pakistan’s involvement. “There have been earlier reports of Pakistan infiltration and cross-border mischief in this area,” said Singh, whose constituency borders Gurdaspur. Jitendra Singh – a junior minister in the office of the prime minister, Narendra Modi – said he did not rule out Pakistan’s involvement. “There have been earlier reports of Pakistan infiltration and cross-border mischief in this area,” said Singh.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry issued a statement condeming “in the strongest terms the terrorist incident in … India today, in which a number of precious lives have been lost.”
Rajnath Singh, the Indian home minister, promised a “befitting reply” to the attack.
“I cannot understand why time and again cross-border terror incidents are taking place when we want good relations with our neighbour. I want to tell our neighbour that we want peace but not at the cost of our national pride,” he told reporters.
Politicians from the opposition Congress party denounced “an intelligence failure”.Politicians from the opposition Congress party denounced “an intelligence failure”.
Abhinav Trikha, deputy police commissioner in Gurdaspur, said the attackers appeared to have holed up in the residential quarters of the police station and were firing continuously. Abhinav Trikha, deputy police commissioner in Gurdaspur, said the attackers appeared to have holed up in the residential quarters of the police station and had fired continuously.
“There were three to four attackers. They were dressed in army uniforms and came in a Maruti car,” he told reporters at the scene. The attackers reportedly hijacked the vehicle before storming the police station.“There were three to four attackers. They were dressed in army uniforms and came in a Maruti car,” he told reporters at the scene. The attackers reportedly hijacked the vehicle before storming the police station.
Five bombs were also found on a railway track in the state, suggesting a broader campaign of violence was being planned.Five bombs were also found on a railway track in the state, suggesting a broader campaign of violence was being planned.
Indian TV networks said they would not broadcast live images of the scene – as has been customary for many years – to avoid giving information to the attackers, or anyone in touch with them.Indian TV networks said they would not broadcast live images of the scene – as has been customary for many years – to avoid giving information to the attackers, or anyone in touch with them.
Gurdaspur is on the border of India’s Jammu and Kashmir state, where Islamic extremists and separatists have battled security forces for more than 25 years, while Punjab has its own history of militancy. India has repeatedly accused Pakistan of training and arming militants in both Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, which Islamabad denies. The attack occured close to the border of India’s Jammu and Kashmir state, where Islamist extremists and separatists have battled security forces for more than 25 years, while Punjab has its own history of militancy. India has repeatedly accused Pakistan of training and arming militants in both Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, which Islamabad denies.
Hopes of a new detente between the two hostile nuclear-armed neighbours rose this month after a relatively cordial meeting between their prime ministers at a summit in Russia.Hopes of a new detente between the two hostile nuclear-armed neighbours rose this month after a relatively cordial meeting between their prime ministers at a summit in Russia.
Violent incidents involving militants often coincide with even minor moves towards normalising relations between the two countries.Violent incidents involving militants often coincide with even minor moves towards normalising relations between the two countries.
India has fought three wars with Pakistan since both gained independence in 1947, two of them over the Kashmir region which both claim.India has fought three wars with Pakistan since both gained independence in 1947, two of them over the Kashmir region which both claim.
Sikh militant groups demanded an independent homeland for minority Sikhs, called Khalistan. Little has been heard in recent years from Sikh militant groups which demanded an independent homeland for minority Sikhs, called Khalistan.
In 1984 Indian security forces stormed the Golden Temple in Amritsar after it was occupied by Sikh militants under the command of a seminary student turned extremist, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Many hundreds, possibly thousands, were killed in the assault, including Bhindranwale as well as Sikh and Hindu pilgrims caught in the crossfire, and the complex was badly damaged. The assault led to the assassination of Indira Gandhi, the then prime minister, by her Sikh bodyguards. In 1984 Indian security forces stormed the Golden Temple in Amritsar after it was occupied by Sikh extremists under the command of a seminary student turned extremist, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Many hundreds, possibly thousands, were killed in the assault, including Bhindranwale as well as Sikh and Hindu pilgrims caught in the crossfire, and the complex was badly damaged. The assault led to the assassination of Indira Gandhi, the then prime minister, by her Sikh bodyguards.
One Delhi-based security expert said Sikh extremists were prime suspects in the police station siege.
“This is probably linked to the movement of the 1990s, these are the Khalistanis who have done this. The remnants of that movement are still being hosted and protected in Pakistan. That is who I assume would be behind it eventually. Directions would have come from there,” said Ajai Sahni, executive director of the Institute for Conflict Management.