New Delhi/Nov,20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and others after a probe indicated that a group of militants killed during a gunfight at Nagrota on Jammu-Srinagar highway a day before planning “something big” ahead of local elections in Jammu and Kashmir .
“Our security forces have once again displayed utmost bravery and professionalism. Thanks to their alertness, they have defeated a nefarious plot to target grassroots level democratic exercises in Jammu and Kashmir,” PM Modi tweeted.
The foreign secretary and top intelligence officials also attended the meeting. Sources said investigations so far have indicated that militants were plotting a strike on the anniversary of the 26/11 attacks.
The four suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed militants , who were hiding in a truck, were killed in a three-hour gunfight with government forces on Jammu-Srinagar Highway near Nagrota early Thursday morning.
Two policemen were injured during the gunfight and the driver managed to escape. The police said it is likely that the terrorists were “planning a big attack” and that they were headed towards the Kashmir valley where local elections are due later this month.
The encounter started at around 5 am after the truck in which terrorists were travelling was intercepted by security forces personnel near the Ban toll plaza in Nagrota, on the outskirts of Jammu city, on the highway during a routine check, officials said.
Security forced had received inputs about the movement of terrorists from Samba sector towards the Nagrota toll plaza.
A large number of weapons, including 11 AK-47 rifles, three pistols and 29 grenades, were recovered from them.