Pathankot(Punjab)

Intermittent blasts and exchange of fire to neutralise two more terrorists continued tonight at Air Force Station Pathankot here where four militants were killed, seven security men lost their lives and 17 persons were injured in 30-hour long operation.

The operation is still continuing and engagement with the terrorists is still going on, Air Commodore J S Dhamoon told reporters at a press conference here tonight.

The Air Commodore said four terrorists have been killed, seven security men – one is of Garud, five from Defence Security Corps (DSC) and one from NSG have been martyred in the operation, adding of the

Dhamoon said the operations will continue till the whole of air base is cleared of intruder and any terrorist.

The officer said that there is also firing from other side (militants) in the morning. One NSG officer lost his life and three others suffered injuries when they were defusing the explosive material of a slain militant during which a grenade blast took place.

During the day, five companies of army, armed with bulldozers, JCB were sent to the area to speed up the operation against the terrorists.

Throughout the day choppers kept flying over the air force station to provide aerial support to the ground troops engaged in the operation against the terrorists.

According to reports, suspected militants were holed up in forested area on the backside of the air base from where they are reported to have entered.

Explosions rocked the area with high rise smoke clouds coming from the scene of gunbattle amidst heavy exchang of firing in the afternoon and evening between militants and security forces. more PTI AB

Giving details about the operation the Air Commodore said that on January 1 there were inputs that infiltration has taken place from Gurdaspur sector and the target is Pathankot area.

Keeping in view the inputs, Air Force assets were activated, NSG, army, and police were mobilised. We took all measures at the Pathankot Air Force station, he said.

The officer further elaborated on it by saying that militants had entered the premises and one of the group of DSC was ambushed by the terrorists and during the engagement one DSC personnel was martyred and another injured.

The terrorists ran away and reached the DSC mess where our people were working in early morning preparing breakfast and they fired indiscriminately.

“As the militants tried to run away from there one of the DSC jawans who was not injured killed one the terrorists with his gun but was killed by another terrorist.

Subsequently the terrorists were cordoned off and in the late afternoon three of the terrorists were killed.

Two of them are being engaged and the operation is still on.

Asked about the number of militants involved in the attack, the Air Commodore said till the operation is not over further details cannot be divulged.

PTI